


Part Of Your World

by Too_Much_Fandom



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - The Little Mermaid Fusion, And totally fabulous, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ballroom Dancing, Canon-Typical Violence, Drag Queens, F/M, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Grindelwald is a drag queen, Overprotective Theseus Scamander, Protective Newt Scamander, Protective Siblings, Romance, Royalty, Sibling Bonding, Theseus and Newt are royal, so is jacob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 29,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23018944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Too_Much_Fandom/pseuds/Too_Much_Fandom
Summary: When Mermaid!Queenie falls in love with human Jacob and turns into a human in order to pursue him, her sister, Mermaid!Tina, has no choice but to follow and try to bring her home. Merman!Newt comes along to help, and along the way, Tina finds a love of her own.
Relationships: Leta Lestrange/Theseus Scamander, Queenie Goldstein/Jacob Kowalski, Tina Goldstein/Newt Scamander
Comments: 58
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! I present to you a Fantastic Beasts Mermaid AU! In which most of our characters are merpeople. Story follows the general plot of The Little Mermaid, but has elements of both the movie and the original tale. Enjoy!

Queenie was late for dinner again. Tina sighed. She had a feeling she knew exactly where her sister was. She swam out of the tiny alcove the pair called home, and made straight for that stupid shipwreck her sister considered a playground. 

"What am I going to do with you, Queenie?" she muttered to herself, angrily slicing her shimmering green tail through the water as she propelled herself onward. 

The ship loomed eerily out of the darkening waters. Tina shivered unpleasantly. She'd never liked going near here, all the more so these days, ever since Queenie had taken a fancy to everything human. 

At least her sister was always easy to find. She had a radiant pink tail, unusual even among mermaids, that lit up everything within a several foot radius. 

Queenie glided in and out of the wreckage, picking up various objects and examining them. Sometimes she dropped it back down, other times, she tucked it into her bag to bring home and study further, or maybe just look at, because it was pretty. This ship had been here for as long as she could remember, but she'd never been particularly interested until recently. 

A few months ago, the neighboring realm of Oceana had celebrated the marriage and coronation of King Theseus to Queen Leta. The reigning monarch of their home realm of Seadonia, Queen Sera, had attended, and of course all the details of the grand occasion were discussed ad nauseum throughout all the realms. Tina hadn't cared much for such things, but Queenie savored every piece of information she could get relating to the event. 

Among other things, she'd learned that in their neighboring realm, laws were a little different. Visiting the surface was allowed, as was observing humans, so long as you did not let them see you. Collecting human artifacts from shipwrecks was also allowed. And so, Queenie's interest in the surface, and those creatures that ruled on land, was sparked. And she couldn't get enough. 

"Queenie!" an irritated voice called out, "I know you're in there!" 

_Damn! I didn't keep track of the time_. Queenie quickly dropped her bag, hiding it under a broken plank of wood. She'd get it later. Her sister, ever the stickler for the rules, was already on edge, and they'd been arguing about Queenie's recent hobby daily now. 

As there was no hiding now, Queenie slid out from behind a broken beam, head down, refusing to look her sister in the eye. "I didn't visit the surface today, honest to Poseidon!" she insisted. 

"Wow, what a sacrifice," Tina rolled her eyes as she grabbed her sister's arm, "merely poking about a graveyard of human artifacts, which will still land you with a fine we can't afford if you're caught!"

Queenie hung her head. "I'm sorry," she muttered contritely. 

"You're always sorry, and yet it keeps happening!" Tina huffed in frustration, "you know the law, Queenie! You know what the consequences could be!" 

"Other realms don't have such strict laws, you know," Queenie countered, "why, over in Oceana, King Theseus allows visiting the surface! There's even a rumor that his younger brother-" 

"I don't care what King Theseus or his younger brother have to say in the matter!" Tina interjected, "we live in Seadonia, and Queen Sera's law is quite clear."

Queenie sighed sadly, and it squeezed at Tina's heart. "I'm sorry," Tina squeezed her sister's hand, "it's just, you know I worry. Things could get real bad if you're not careful. It's not worth it."

Queenie squeezed her hand back as a tear slid down her face. As soon as they arrived home, she curled up into her corner of the alcove. 

"Don't you want some dinner?" Tina asked, concernedly. 

"No!" Queenie said thickly, "I just want to be alone right now."

Tina sighed heavily. Her sister had really changed these last few months, and it scared her. Of course, they were both of age. Her sister could go move to another realm or get married or whatever at any time. Tina didn't like change. She wanted everything to stay the same, just as it had been since their parents had died when they were kids. Tina and Queenie, of the House of Goldstein, the scrappy orphan sisters against the world. But she couldn't slow the passage of time. And her sister was her own person. Well, Tina couldn't do much about it, but she didn't have to like it. 

Queenie was gone when Tina woke up the next morning. Thankfully, she at least had the decency to leave a note. 

_Teenie,_

_I thought about what you said last night. You're right, it's unfair of me to put you in that position. I can't stop though. It's like the human world is calling to me! I cannot ignore the call. But I'm going to be more careful. Lucky we live so close to Oceana! From now on, I'll be doing my exploring there, so there won't be any trouble if I'm caught. I'll be home for dinner. Love you, sis!_

_Queenie_

Tina didn't know what to think. If Queenie really was visiting Oceana for the day in order to visit the surface, well, that was completely legal. Still, she worried about what indulging this fancy could mean. Surely this fixation on the human world wasn't healthy! She decided to go after her sister. 

Finding her wasn't hard. It never was with that glittering pink tail of hers. And when Tina found her, that was all she saw, for the rest of her sister was above the water. Although she was now in territory where it would be legal, Tina couldn't bring herself to breach the surface. 

Queenie watched the ship, enthralled. She'd never been this close to humans, nor seen so many in one place! They seemed to be having some sort of celebration. There was music, dancing, food, and alcoholic beverages. 

She was fascinated by how much clothing the people wore. It looked a bit uncomfortable, but also so beautiful, especially the gowns the women wore. 

One human in particular caught her eye. He wasn't the most handsome man aboard the ship, but he was clearly the most popular, and it was easy to see why. He had a warm smile, and seemed to always know the right thing to say to everyone. He had a way of making every person he interacted with feel important. Queenie wondered, if she were to meet him, if he'd listen to her too. She was tired of her opinion never counting for anything…

The sky above began to darken, with thick, gray, swirling clouds, and the water began to churn violently. The ship's crew was now frantically running to and fro, turning the ship back towards shore. 

The shore was visible, as they weren't that far out to sea, but it wasn't that close. As the storm blew in, and the waves grew larger and more dangerous, Queenie was tossed about. She knew she should get back down, below where the wind could affect the water, but she was worried about the humans. How could they get safely back to shore? What would happen if the ship was damaged while they were still too far out for them to swim? 

A wave pulled Queenie under, but she fought her way back to the surface. She knew she couldn't help everyone, if it came to that, but she couldn't bring herself to abandon a shipful of humans to the mercy of the sea. And so, she continued to fight, to stay above the surface...

Tina swam in tight circles, like a shark, below her sister, waiting for her to come back under. She couldn't help but notice the way Queenie's tail twitched with excitement. She noted the dark shape hovering above them. A ship. Queenie was clearly watching humans on a ship. 

Suddenly, the sunlight streaming below the waves was blocked, and not by the ship. That meant a storm was coming. Tina felt the water whipping around her and looked up to see the frothing of the water above. She'd never been this close to an actual storm! 

"Queenie!" she screamed, though she was unsure if her sister could hear her, "Queenie, come back here, we gotta dive down! It's a storm! It's dangerous up there!" 

Tina wasn't about to swim to safety without her sister, so she attempted to get close enough to grab onto her, but the water was churning too fiercely, hurling her in every direction but the one she meant to go in. She continued calling out to her sister, but the constant whooshing of the water swallowed her calls. 

Meanwhile, above the surface, Queenie watched in horror as the ship that had seemed so mighty a few minutes ago was tossed about like a child's plaything. The men on board were all running around and shouting, though she couldn't make out what they were saying over the roar of the wind. She could see they were in what looked like a losing fight against the wind, as they scrambled to hold the ship's wheel. Lightning flashed, casting a momentary eerie glow on the water, and thunder boomed ominously in the distance. 

The waves grew larger and soon began to wash upon the deck. Suddenly, she felt a heavy plunk beside her, and was able to make out the call of "Man overboard!" 

Just below the surface, Tina had finally fought her way over, and was just about to grab Queenie by the tail and drag her down when she felt something heavy plunk into the water, and slowly begin to sink. It took Tina a split second to realize that it was a human. 

"So those are legs," she cocked her head curiously as he sank towards her. He was a heavy-set man, and looked quite young. He had a small mustache. Bubbles trailed from his mouth and his head lolled to the side. 

Then, Queenie burst frantically beside her and wrapped her arms around the human. 

"Queenie, what are you doing?!" Tina shrieked, "you know that's not allowed, not even under King Theseus' laws!" 

"I won't let him die!" Queenie screamed, "I won't!" And with that, she swished her tail as powerfully as she could, bringing the human back up to the surface. 

"Queenie, wait!" Tina screamed again, but Queenie, and the human, were gone, and she wasn't sure which way they'd gone. Tina went back and forth with herself, wondering whether she should wait here or go home. She soon decided to swim home. There was no way to know if Queenie would come back this way, and she had to come home eventually.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queenie is in love. Can Tina heal the growing rift between herself and her sister before it's too late?

Every muscle in her body, from her shoulders to her tail, screamed from the exertion of propelling herself upwards with a heavy human in tow. But she was not about to let him die! And so, she powered through the strain, finally breaking the surface. 

The sea was still choppy, and lightning continued to flash every few minutes, but the worst of the storm seemed to have passed. The human in her arms remained unconscious, and right now, there were only two things Queenie cared about: keeping his head above water, and getting him to shore. At least as long as he was above water, she could swim a little slower. She was going to be mighty sore tomorrow as it was. 

At last, they came upon the shore, and she gently laid the man out on the beach. Was there anything more she could do for him? She had watched him on the ship earlier, before he'd fallen in the water. He was clearly very well liked. Now, studying him up close, she could see that he had a very kind face. 

"Please be ok," she pleaded, as she softly stroked his cheek, "please be ok!" 

His chest continued to rise and fall, and he coughed a bit, but he did not wake. Queenie continued to stay by his side, and began to sing to him.

_ What would I give  _

_ To be where you are?  _

_ What would I pay  _

_ To stand here beside you?  _

_ What would I do to see you _

_ Smiling at me?  _

As she sang, the man began to stir. Even Queenie wasn't about to cross this boundary of being seen and recognized by a human, so she quickly slid back into the water, hiding behind a rock to continue watching him. 

He woke, and started looking around desperately. For what, Queenie wasn't certain. Suddenly, she heard a rhythmic sound, that was making the sand shake, and saw two men riding astride these beasts that she was not familiar with. 

"It's him! It's the Prince!" one of them cried out, "oh, thank the Lord, Prince Jacob is alive!" 

"Jay-cob," Queenie murmured, trying out the name on her tongue, and smiling softly as her stomach swooped with giddiness, "his name is Jacob."

The men brought their beasts to a stop and jumped off, running toward the man on the beach. 

"Your highness, we've found you!" the second man exclaimed, and they both took hold of Jacob to help him up, "a miracle! A true miracle!" 

"I'll say," Jacob wheezed, still needing to expel seawater from his lungs, "I was rescued. By a-by a woman…" He went back to searching, and Queenie realized with a jolt that he was searching for  _ her.  _

The two guards exchanged a look. The prince noticed. "Honest to God!" he insisted, "I didn't see her, but I heard her voice… like nothing I've ever heard before, so beautiful…" he trailed off. 

"Well, be that as it may," the first guard interrupted, "you'll need to be looked at by a doctor after your ordeal. Let's go back to the palace."

Jacob sighed and looked around one last time for any sign of his rescuer, then followed his guards. He mounted the animal behind the second guard, and they rode away.

Queenie did not go back underwater until they were out of sight. But she already knew. "I will return to you, dear Jacob," she said resolutely, then, singing loudly at the empty shoreline, 

_ I don't know when _

_ I don't know how _

_ But I know something's starting right now  _

_ Watch and you'll see  _

_ Someday I'll be _

_ Part of your world!  _

Queenie took her time getting home. She just knew Tina was going to argue the second she got back. But she couldn't stay away forever, so eventually headed back. To her surprise, Tina said nothing, just hugged her tight. 

"Thank Poseidon you're safe," Tina whispered, "please, don't ever scare me like that again!"

The sisters ate their dinner together silently. Neither of them wanted to discuss what had happened today, but knew they were going to have to eventually. 

They both turned in for the night way earlier than usual, and both laid awake for a long time, feeling more distant than ever and unsure of how to heal the growing rift between them. 

Over the next few weeks, Queenie went out at the crack of dawn and returned late at night. Her days were spent by the shoreline where she'd left Jacob after the storm. Every day, she explored the coast, seeking to learn as much about Prince Jacob as she could. 

Her persistence was rewarded. She soon discovered his seaside palace. She learned that he was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Merryport, and that he hailed from a long line of monarchs known as the House of Kowalski. She learned that his kind and happy disposition was completely genuine. She learned that he was much beloved by his subjects. 

"And much beloved by me," she murmured to herself, "more so, with each passing day…"

She also learned that he was unmarried, and princesses from lands far and wide were constantly coming to Merryport in hopes of winning over the affable prince. Queenie was no princess, nor even a human, and yet, the more she watched Prince Jacob, the more she pined for him. She knew it was far-fetched, but she began to think that perhaps there was a way, and she was going to find out…

Tina noticed. She noticed her sister was disappearing for longer and longer stretches, and becoming more vague and evasive about what she was up to. She noticed Queenie was barely eating. Day after day, she bit her lip. She knew it wasn't worth starting arguments she knew would be completely unproductive, yet her fear was growing by the day. 

The evening that she found Queenie reading a book on sorcery, she could no longer hold back. 

"What are you reading a book on sorcery for?" she asked, trying, and failing, to keep the suspicious edge out of her voice. 

"What's it to you?" Queenie asked defensively. 

"You know there are only a few sorcerers born in every generation, and you know you ain't one of them," Tina replied warily. 

"All the more reason it doesn't matter," Queenie huffed, "I find it interesting and all. It's not like I can do anything with it."

"You've been acting real odd lately," Tina told her, "ever since that storm. Please, Queenie, what's going on?" 

Queenie just shrugged and went back to reading. Tina knew the conversation was over. However, the following morning, after Queenie had left to wherever it was she went all day lately, Tina pulled out the book and began to flip through it. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed which pages Queenie had gone out of her way to mark… 

When Queenie came home for dinner, Tina straight up confronted her. 

"This human obsession has gone far enough!" she exclaimed, as she pulled out the book she had gone through. 

"Hey, that's mine, you have no right-" 

"Don't I?" Tina snapped back as tears began to fill her eyes, "were you ever going to tell me what you're trying to do, or were you going to leave me a note one day to let me know you were gone forever?" 

Queenie clasped her sister's hand. "You're my sister. And I'll always love you. But…" she bit her lip and looked away. 

"But what?" 

"I'm in love with him…" Queenie sighed brokenly. 

"In love with who?" Tina asked, and then, the realization dawned on her, "no…you wouldn't… 

You're in love with that…that human?!" 

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Queenie dropped her sister's hand coldly. 

"It's not that I don't understand, I do!" Tina insisted, "it's just, it cannot happen! Queenie, this is real life! There are plenty of good guys, of our own kind, right here in the sea! Don't go chasing a fantasy…be reasonable, Queenie!" 

Queenie burst into sobs. "I love him, Tina! I can't, I won't live without him!" With that, she turned around, and swam back outside, continuing to sob. 

"Queenie, wait!" Tina cried out, chasing after her. 

Queenie kept swimming, without looking back. The shipwreck she liked to scavenge loomed straight ahead. Tina had never really explored the wreck herself, she'd only ever come calling after Queenie. This time, she followed her in there. However, without that same familiarity with the nooks and crannies of the area, she kept finding herself stuck at dead ends as her sister continually dodged her. 

Finally, after extricating herself from a maze of broken planks, Tina could not find Queenie at all. She doubled back the way she'd come, and checked all her sister's favorite spots. By the time she realized that Queenie had left the wreck entirely, she was completely out of sight. 

"Queenie!" Tina screamed out into the night, "Queenie, come back to me!" 

There was no answer. Tina hid her face in her hands and began to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sing along with Queenie. You know you want to :-)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queenie seeks out the help of Grindelwald, the Sea Witch.

Queenie heard her sister's desperate calls fading away. Tina's distress tugged at her heart, and several times she started swimming back. But the thought of being able to finally get to Jacob motivated her to continue. Tina would never understand and never be ok with it. Sometimes, you just had to make your own destiny, Queenie told herself. 

She stopped in a small alcove for the night, and left to continue at the break of dawn. She consulted the flyer she kept in her bag to make sure she was going in the right direction. 

From the moment she'd come across the flyer three days ago, she knew that Grindelwald the Sea Witch was her only hope. She hadn't planned on going just yet, but after last night's argument, she was more than eager. 

She knew nothing of sorcery beyond what she'd skimmed in the book, but she knew enough to know that what she was going to ask of the witch was theoretically possible. 

When she reached the entrance to the cave that supposedly housed Grindelwald's lair, she gasped. Delicate, colorful plants decked the mouth of the cave, and the inside glowed eerily. Once again, Queenie questioned herself. She felt a prickle on the back of her neck and wondered if perhaps this place was unsafe. But, ultimately, she figured she could always leave if she didn't like it. She'd never be able to live with herself if she didn't at least try. 

The entranceway to the Sea Witch's lair was not at all what she expected. It turned out, the glow was not from some sort of sinister magic, but from shiny objects. The walls gleamed brightly, with gold, silver, and jewels of all colors, and tapestries rich enough to rival those in Queen Sera's palace. Queenie wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but she wanted to be with Jacob, and so, she kept swimming deeper into the cave. 

"Come in, sweet child," a smooth, rich voice crooned, much deeper than she was expecting. 

"I-I'm looking f-for Grindelwald, the Sea Witch," Queenie stammered nervously. 

"It is I," the Sea Witch moved into the light, and Queenie's eyes grew wide, curiously taking in the sight before her. 

Grindelwald had the powerful build of a typical merman, yet moved with the delicate grace of a princess. He was also draped in finery similar to that gracing the cavern walls. Queenie could not make out the true color of his tail, because it was encrusted with gleaming pearls in every color. His wrists bore bracelets of the the most expensive corals, and draped around his neck were strings of more rainbow pearls. His lips were painted in a dramatic shade of red, eyebrows sharply defined with ink. 

"But you're a…" Queenie gasped out, "shouldn't you be a wizard, or sorcerer?" 

"Technically, yes," Grindelwald sighed dramatically, "but witch is just so much more glamorous, don't you agree, darling?" 

"I-I guess?" Queenie smiled, hoping he didn't mistake her hesitation for contradiction. She was hoping he'd help her, after all. 

"So many gorgeous and glamorous things in this world," Grindelwald continued, and Queenie wasn't entirely sure whether he was talking to her or just talking aloud, "I see no reason why glamor should be reserved only for the 'maids. Why, were I to rule a realm, I should be Queen, not King…" He draped a bangled arm across his forehead as though swooning, as he sighed dramatically once more. 

"But that's enough about me," he turned his cold, mismatched eyes back to Queenie, "you, dear child, are in need. Well, you've come to the right place, then. What can I do for you, my sweet?" 

Queenie bit her lip. All of a sudden, everything seemed so ridiculous. Was she really about to ask to leave her home, and everything she knew, just like that? And her sister… Tina would be devastated. No, she should turn back, go home, forget this folly… 

Sensing her hesitation, the Sea Witch produced a ball of glass, and tossed it in front of Queenie. Jacob's face now bobbed enticingly before her. Jacob…this was her chance… 

"Yes, um," she inhaled sharply, gathering her resolve, "I want to become a human. So I can be with him. With Jacob."

"You want to become human?" Grindelwald repeated back to her. 

"Is-is that a thing you can do?" Queenie asked, suddenly realizing that she had no idea whether that was possible, even with magic. Just because theory said it should be, didn't mean anyone had ever attempted it, or managed it successfully. 

"It is…a thing I can do," Grindelwald replied, "but it is not easy. I would think a trial would be warranted before making such a…permanent decision…"

Queenie was a little disappointed, but supposed it was a start. "But it-it can be made permanent, if the trial goes well?" 

"Yes, it can."

"Then I accept."

Grindelwald waved his arms, summoning various bottles of potions over and began mixing. Queenie shivered, though whether with anticipation or fear, she couldn't tell. Perhaps it was both. 

"So…how exactly does this work?" she asked nervously. 

"What I have here will make you a human for three months," Grindelwald explained, "you have three months to get your man to fall in love with you and marry you. And it has to be true love. No telling him you're under a spell so that he'll marry you from sympathy. It has to be of his own desire to be with you. After you're married, you become a human forever."

"And, if he doesn't?" Queenie whispered. 

"You die," Grindelwald said softly, "your body becomes seafoam, and your soul belongs to me."

Queenie gasped. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea. She began to back away, but Grindelwald roped her back in with a string of pearls. 

"Surely you don't think that's a possibility? Look at you, deary," he cooed, running his fingers through her golden curls, "you won't even need three months, you'll have him begging for your hand in marriage within three weeks!" 

Queenie bit her lip. It seemed a dangerous bargain, but…Jacob… She'd risk anything for Jacob, including her own life. 

"I accept," she finally nodded, soberly. 

"There's a dear," Grindelwald squeezed her shoulder, "now, of course, we need to discuss the matter of payment."

"P-payment?" Queenie stammered.

"Well, surely you don't expect such a huge service for free? I do need to make a living, you know," the Sea Witch pouted, while gesturing to his opulent surroundings.

"But-but I haven't got any-" Queenie sputtered, then fingered the coral necklace that was the only thing she had left from her mother. "I guess there's my mother's necklace," she sighed, ready to unclasp it. 

"Oh no, I'm hardly in need of another bauble," Grindelwald laughed softly, "no, keep your necklace. What I need from you is…your voice."

"M-my voice?!" Queenie exclaimed in shock, bringing a hand to her throat, "but without my voice, how will I-" 

Grindelwald laughed again, then caressed Queenie's cheek with his fingers. "You've got your looks; your pretty face; and don't underestimate the importance of BODY LANGUAGE!" he cackled as he wiggled his tail suggestively. 

Queenie gulped again. This was asking a lot. But that crystal ball hung, and the sight of Jacob, just simply going about his day, was too much for her to resist.

"Will it hurt?" she asked meekly. 

"It will, as long as it's temporary," Grindelwald answered, "as soon as your legs become permanent, they will be healed. And you'll get your voice back. You know what they say, darling, pain is beauty! What's a little pain compared to true love!" 

True love. She had to agree, this was true love. And love required risk. Loving Jacob was more than worth that risk. She nodded her assent. Grindelwald handed her a squid-ink quill, and she signed the contract, setting the deal into motion. 

Grindelwald handed her a vial of potion that glowed a sickly shade of green. Queenie downed it in one swallow. 

"Sing for me, darling," Grindelwald ordered, and Queenie did, quavering at first, but soon gaining steadiness as the Sea Witch encouraged her. 

"Keep singing!" he demanded, and Queenie raised herself one octave, and then another. Grindelwald smiled widely, showing gleaming white teeth, as Queenie continued to sing like she'd never sung in her life. 

She felt a sudden drop in her throat, and soon realized that her singing was coming from outside of her. She brought a hand to her throat as Grindelwald captured her voice in a jar and sealed it. 

"You're on your way, my dear," was the last thing she heard before the most horrible burning sensation swept through her body, and she felt as though she'd split in two...which, she sort of had, or at least her tail did. She'd never felt such agony in all her life! 

Next came a pressure in her chest, that squeezed harder and harder as she lost her ability to breathe underwater. She desperately tried to claw her way to the surface, but couldn't tell which way was up, and grew weaker the longer she went without oxygen. Black spots began to dance before her eyes. What had she done? If she didn't make it to the surface, she was going to die. To drown. The spots grew larger, spreading in front of her, until she could see nothing, and finally overtook her as she lost consciousness. 

Queenie woke up gasping on the sand. She didn't know how long she'd been laying there before waking, but it took awhile to come back to herself after such a violent transformation. She ran her fingers delicately over her legs. She smiled, realizing they were real. She was human. She was on land. She was going to spend the rest of her life with her beloved Jacob. 

She then realized she was completely naked. She knew enough about humans to know this wasn't acceptable. Just as she began to wonder how she could cover herself, a wave washed a large, rough sheet of woven kelp ashore. It would have to do, for now, so she wrapped herself in it, and began to try standing. 

The pain was searing. Her eyes watered, and she opened her mouth to cry out, though no sound escaped. She looked down at her legs, which had been perfectly smooth just moments ago, and gasped as she saw the blisters forming. 

Could she do this? Maybe she should go back home, and forget this fool's errand. But as the image of Jacob's face swam before her eyes, her resolve strengthened. Love wasn't meant to be easy. She wanted Jacob and she would do anything to have him. 

She scrambled to her feet again. The pain was horrendous, but she was happy for it if it brought her closer to Jacob… she felt stabbing and burning with each step, felt the skin blistering, the blood running down her legs, and yet, she persevered, with one goal on her mind. 

Suddenly, she heard hoofbeats. She looked up, and saw three beasts, which past excursions to the surface had taught her were called horses, approaching. Royal horses. And right in the middle was Jacob, flanked by two attendants. 

Jacob was immediately taken by the beauty of the woman before him. He held up his horse, and dismounted, approaching slowly, as Queenie smiled radiantly. 

As he got closer, he noticed that she was draped in seaweed rather than wearing proper clothes. The poor girl must have been shipwrecked, then, and probably needed help. 

"Are you alright? Do you need help Miss…?"

Queenie pointed to her throat, to indicate that she could not speak. Jacob smiled sympathetically. 

"I'm so sorry," he said kindly, "but do not worry, I will take you to the palace and get you help." He turned to one of his attendants, who dismounted and escorted Queenie to his horse. She winced as she hobbled towards the horse, and Jacob let out an audible gasp as he saw her injured legs. 

"And I'll have a doctor come attend to your injuries," he promised, then, squeezing her hand, assured her, "don't worry, it's going to be ok. You're safe now."

Queenie just beamed. Not even an hour, and Jacob was already bringing her to his palace! And he was every bit as kind as she expected! The pain didn't matter. This was already the best day of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, Grindelwald is a stand in for Ursula here! Ursula was based on the legendary drag queen Divine, hence, drag queen Grindelwald.
> 
> Here is also where you see the mix of Disney and original tale. The giving up her voice is from the Disney movie, the legs being in constant pain plus the fact that she will turn to sea foam if she doesn't succeed comes from the original story.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate to find her sister, Tina makes her own deal with Grindelwald...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, but Newt finally makes his first appearance!

Tina didn't want to sleep. She wanted to keep looking for her sister. But she knew she'd be of no use to her without any rest. Besides, she had no chance of finding her in the dark. 

The next morning, she was up at the crack of dawn, asking everyone she saw whether they'd seen a young mermaid with a pink tail. No luck. At some point, she bumped into her neighbor, Abernathy. 

"Oh, thank Poseidon, a familiar face!" she exclaimed as she swam over. 

"What's wrong, Tina?" he asked worriedly. 

"It's Queenie… We had an argument, and she swam off, and l can't find her now," she explained. 

"Surely, she'll come back at some point?" he suggested. 

"It was real bad, Abernathy," Tina shook her head, "and I'm scared she might-she might do something drastic." 

"I'm sorry, I ain't seen her today," Abernathy apologized, and Tina dejectedly turned away to look elsewhere, when he suddenly called out to her. 

"Hey, wait! I remember something from the other day!" 

Tina turned around expectantly, and he continued, "I can't promise it's relevant, but it might be. I seen her, checking out them flyers a coupla days ago. She took one off the wall. A flyer for some sorcerer, I think."

Tina's ears perked up. "A sorcerer, you say?" 

"Yeah, over on that wall down by Krill Street, where there's always lots of flyers," he added helpfully. 

"Thank you, Abernathy!" Tina cried out in relief, "thank you! I'm gonna go check it out right now!" 

She swam over to Krill Street and perused the wall, looking for any flyers she could find that mentioned sorcerers. She finally found one, for Grindelwald the Sea Witch, advertising a way to make all dreams come true.

Tina knew this must be where Queenie went. Of course she was going to follow the person who claimed to be able to make her dreams come true…

Tina made careful note of the address and immediately set off to find her sister before it was too late.

Grindelwald laughed softly as he watched the brown haired mermaid in his crystal ball. He knew that having met with one sister, the other was bound to follow. Souls were particularly potent in sibling pairs, and he was excited to capture a pair of sisters, which would bring his army ever closer to being able to overthrow every realm…

When Tina arrived at the entrance to the cave, she didn't hesitate for a moment. Her priority was getting her sister home. She barely even noticed the gleaming furnishings as she made her way through. 

"Come in, sweet child," a deep voice crooned, and Tina obeyed. 

"I'm looking for Grindelwald the Sea Witch," she said confidently. 

"It is I," Grindelwald slid out into the light, and Tina was taken aback.

"But aren't you-"

"Yes, yes, dear, your sister had quite the same reaction," the Sea Witch chuckled, "what can I say, witch is so much more glamorous, don't you agree?"

Tina just stared at the bedazzled sorcerer in front of her. "I don't suppose it matters," she muttered, before coming straight out with her request, "where is my sister?"

"Oh, I do apologize!" Grindelwald draped his bangled arm over his forehead dramatically, "but your sister has already left!"

"Okay, well where did she go? I can follow-"

"But my dear," Grindelwald cut in, placing an arm around Tina's shoulders, "she has left the sea. Gone to land…"

"Wh-what? I-I don't understand!" Tina stammered, as the Sea Witch produced a crystal ball and dangled it in front of her. Her eyes grew wide with fear as she watched her sister riding astride some enormous land animal, with her arms around the waist of the same human she'd rescued from drowning just a few weeks ago.

"No," Tina gasped, shaking her head disbelievingly, "she went and did it…"

She swallowed hard. All her life, she'd barely even thought about land. Even when she came after Queenie during that storm, she never breached the surface. And yet, she had no choice. She had to go after Queenie and end this madness once and for all.

"I have to go after her!" She turned toward the Sea Witch with desperate, pleading eyes, "I need to become a human so that I can bring her home!"

Grindelwald smiled softly. It was going according to plan. "As much as I would love to help you, dear girl," he stroked Tina's cheek, causing her to shudder, "I cannot afford as much charity as I'd like. There will be a cost…"

"But I haven't got any-"

"I know you haven't much in material goods, and so, I am willing to exchange favors instead."

"What-what kind of favor?" She asked warily.

"Oh, just a trifle, really," he insisted, waving his hand over the crystal ball, causing Queenie to dissolve and a new figure to emerge. As Tina stared at the handsome young merman in the ball, she realized with a jolt that she recognized him. Queenie may have been more into following the latest gossip of the royal houses, but even Tina could recognize most royals by sight. 

"Th-that's Prince Newt, of Oceana!" she gasped.

"Indeed," Grindelwald sighed, looking past Tina, though at what, she couldn't tell, "Prince Newton of the House of Scamander, younger brother of King Theseus of Oceana."

"And what's he got to do with my sister?"

"I will turn you into a human, as you have requested, if you bring him to me."

"What...how…?"

"The prince is a very talented man," Grindelwald explained, "and I've been wanting him to come work with me for a long time, but he rebuffs me."

"Well, if he doesn't want to come, how am I supposed to convince him?" Tina asked nervously. 

"You talk to him. A pretty girl like you might be more persuasive," Grindelwald circled her like a shark, making Tina feel very uneasy.

"Of course, even you might not be able to convince him," Grindelwald pulled out a long, mysterious device, and handed it to Tina before finishing, "in which case, you may need to use force." 

He gestured to the device, which, on closer inspection, Tina realized was a net launcher. 

"You're asking me to-to abduct a prince?!" She exclaimed incredulously.

"Only if you can't convince him," the Sea Witch assured her, "besides, no harm will come to him, I assure you."

Tina shook her head. "This is crazy, I can't-"

"And how will you get to your sister?" Grindelwald challenged, and Tina's heart sank. She was desperate, and if this is what she had to do, well, she was going to do it. For Queenie.

Grindelwald smiled. "Bring me the prince. Then we shall discuss how to proceed with the transformation."

Tina gripped the net launcher and set off without looking back, trying not to let her conscience get the better of her.

When she reached the entranceway of the prince's lab, her resolve once again wavered, as she watched him studying a creature and taking notes. He was incredibly handsome, as she expected of a prince. He was also clearly very dedicated to his work. 

She knew there was also the not-insignificant chance that the king would have her head if he ever discovered that she'd abducted his brother. But she had no choice. Queenie was all she had, and Tina had nothing else to lose.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina has been tasked with bringing Newt to Grindelwald, in exchange for being able to go after her sister. Tina's first encounter with Newt does not go quite as expected...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, now we're meeting Newt for real!

"Don't make me pull rank on you, Newt," Queen Leta threatened, but Newt could hear the trace of a smile in her voice. Still, he knew there was no getting out of it either way. 

"Alright, I'll come for dinner," he sighed, not looking up from the starfish he was carefully observing, "just, no foisting any princesses on me tonight, promise?" 

"Just you, me, and your brother tonight, I promise," Leta conceded, "but you really are way too picky. You're a prince, Newt. It's your duty to marry and produce heirs."

"Theseus got to marry someone who loves him for who he is," Newt pouted, "why shouldn't I ask for the same, rather than marry someone who is merely willing to tolerate me because I'm royal?" 

"Anyone who doesn't appreciate you and your gifts is missing out," Leta said softly, touching Newt's shoulder. 

"Please, I know what everyone says about me," Newt huffed, "that I'm the king's odd and eccentric little brother, creature-obsessed, funny in the head…"

"I believe more people appreciate your talents than you think," Leta insisted, "if you'd only give them the chance…anyhow, I must get back. I'll see you for dinner. Don't get so absorbed as to be late," she smirked, gesturing around Newt's vast lab. 

Newt just chuckled without turning around, and Leta swam off. He took out his squid-ink quill and went back to taking notes, now that he had some peace and quiet. He felt Pickett, his pet crab, tickling his tail. 

Within a few minutes, Newt heard a swish at his doorway. "What do you want now, Leta?" he sighed in annoyance, without even looking up. 

"Leta? You mean  _ the  _ Queen Leta?" an unfamiliar voice replied, causing Newt to startle and look up to see who in the world had just wandered into his lab. 

He found himself face to face with a beautiful young mermaid, who he did not know. And who was definitely not from his realm, based on her accent. Newt was momentarily awestruck as he took in the attractive, young mermaid before him, but soon gathered his wits enough to ask, "can I help you?" 

"I come with a job offer," the mermaid said sweetly.

"A job offer?" Newt raised a skeptical eyebrow, "I'm a prince, I'm not exactly in need of a job."

"But this one would make use of your unique talents, your expertise in all manner of sea creatures," she insisted. 

Now, Newt was really suspicious. "Are you trying to convince me to work for Grindelwald, the Sea Witch?" 

"Um, well, yes," she stammered, clearly caught off guard by having already been figured out, "he is really-" 

Newt smirked before cutting her off. "He's been trying for years to draw me in. Clearly, you haven't been around him that long, if you thought you could just pleasantly talk me into coming with you. It's going to take a bit more effort than that,  _ love _ ." He emphasized that last word in a most condescending tone, shaking his head laughing as he returned to his work. 

Tina smarted a bit from being laughed at and patronized. But she didn't have time to dwell on that for too long. The Sea Witch had warned her the prince would not come so easily, so it was time to resort to force.

She felt really bad about what she was about to do. Under ordinary circumstances, she'd never force anyone to do anything against their will. But she was desperate. This was the only way she could find her sister. With shaking hands, she pulled out the launcher she'd been given for this purpose, took aim, and launched the net. 

The kelp woven net wrapped itself around Newt in one shot, and Tina, who had no time to lose, grabbed the handle and swam as fast as she could, lugging the hapless prince behind her. 

Newt struggled mightily against the net. "Let me go!" he demanded, "you can't do this!" 

"I'm really sorry," Tina replied meekly. She was pretty sorry, after all. 

"Oh, really sorry," Newt scoffed, "so sorry that you're literally kidnapping me!" 

"I truly am sorry, your highness," Tina insisted, "but I really don't have a choice…" 

Newt just huffed angrily while continuing to struggle. What an idiot he'd been. She had said straight out that she had come to him on Grindelwald's behalf. Her slight frame and pretty face had made him believe she couldn't actually be dangerous. Well, lesson learned…

Suddenly, he felt a tickle along his tail. Right, Pickett! He took the little green crab in his hands and stroked him affectionately. 

"There's a good crab," he crooned, as he set Pickett gently on the fibrous net, "you know what to do."

Pickett got straight to work, cutting through the kelp fibers with his claws. Before long, he cut a hole large enough for Newt to escape. He clung to Newt's powerful blue tail as Newt wriggled out of the hole. 

"Good job, Pick," Newt patted his little companion as they swam away. 

Newt had a good head start, and was going to let his brother know that Grindelwald had gone after him  _ yet again,  _ when suddenly, he heard sobbing ringing out behind him. 

Newt shook his head and kept going. So what that she was crying? Why should he care? She'd just attempted to abduct him! She was working for Grindelwald, the Sea Witch! 

But as she continued to sob, more hysterically with each passing moment, it tugged at Newt's heart. He stopped to think for a moment. She  _ had  _ repeatedly apologized to him after ensnaring him and lugging him away, claiming she had no choice. And he knew enough about Grindelwald to know what he was about. There was a good chance that this girl wasn't working for him, so much as obligated to him for some reason. She was probably going to pay dearly for coming back empty handed… 

Well, what could he do about that? He wasn't about to just turn himself in to Grindelwald in order to help some girl he didn't know, not even so pretty a girl as this one. But perhaps he could help somehow. Maybe hide her from him, or something. 

"Hey…what's wrong?" he called out kindly, still keeping his distance in case she tried to kidnap him again. 

"It's-it's my sister!" she cried out, hiccuping between sobs, "my sister ran away, and I need to get her back! He-he said he'd help me find her, but only if I brought you to him!"

She collapsed into sobs again, and Newt's heart broke for her. So, his current theory was correct. She wasn't bad, desperation had simply led her to make a deal with the Sea Witch, as it had done to so many others. 

Well, not anymore. He was going to help this girl. Grindelwald was not going to get him, or this young mermaid's soul. 

He swam over and tentatively patted her shoulder, consolingly. "What if-what if I helped you find your sister?" 

Tina looked up, surprised. "You? Unless you have the power to turn me into a human, you couldn't possibly help…" she hid her face in her hands, crying once more. 

Newt's heart sank, hearing just how trapped the girl, and presumably her sister, were. But he knew now exactly how to help. 

"Well, no, I don't have that power," he started, "but I know someone who does. And he won't force you into some unwinnable deal like Grindelwald tends to do. He's a sorcerer too. Dumbledore." 

Tina still wasn't sure whether to trust Newt, but he was actually offering the help after what she'd just done to him…and this Dumbledore sounded rather safer than Grindelwald. 

"Thank you, your highness," Tina bowed her head, "I'd-I'd appreciate it if you could bring me to him. I mean, of course you don't have to, and I don't deserve your help, but I'd be really thankful-" 

"Please, just call me Newt," he cut her off with a shy smile, "and you are…?"

"Oh, sorry. Tina," she introduced herself, "of the House of Goldstein."

Newt nodded. "I'm guessing from your accent that you hail from the realm of Seadonia?" 

"Yeah," Tina nodded, "and no need to tell me which realm you're from. House of Scamander. Younger brother of King Theseus of Oceana. So, how soon can we go?"

"Tonight, after dinner."

"After dinner?!" Tina exclaimed incredulously, "why not now?" 

"Well, I can't exactly fail to appear for dinner with the King and Queen, now, can I?" Newt shrugged, though his little smirk indicated that he very much wished he could do just that. "Now, come on, I'm sure they won't mind an extra guest-" 

Tina shrank back. "M-m-me?" she stammered, "a guest at the King's table?!" 

"Do you want me to take you to Dumbledore or not?" Newt huffed. 

"I do, but-" 

"Well, first we need to stop for dinner," Newt told her in no uncertain terms, "I suppose you could just wait outside the palace, but it's a bit of a journey, you might as well get a good meal out of it. But, it's up to you," he shrugged, before turning around and swimming towards the palace gates. 

Tina threw her hands up and just followed. What choice did she have? Actually entering the palace only made her feel worse. 

"You've…you've never actually been inside a palace, have you?" 

"No," Tina murmured as she looked around, taking in the stately furnishings of the cavernous entrance hall, "nor anything even close." She nervously fingered her simple coral necklace, part of a pair, that had belonged to her mother. Queenie had the other one. The necklaces were the only things of value they had. 

"It'll be alright," Newt smiled reassuringly, "you don't have to talk much if you don't want to."

Tina followed close behind him, through a dizzying maze of rooms and hallways. They soon came to a smaller chamber, tucked away from the more public parts of the palace. 

"Quarters of the King and Queen," Newt explained, as Tina gaped in awe and shrank further into herself. He lifted the knocker, but the door opened before he could bring it down. 

Tina blinked at the figure of Queen Leta, smiling in the doorway. She could hardly believe that she was bobbing just a couple of feet away from an actual queen. She'd never even been this close to the Queen of her own realm! 

"On time, for once!" Leta smiled approvingly at her brother-in-law, before immediately turning to his companion. His female companion. Her smile turned conspiratorial. 

"I see you've brought a guest," she raised an eyebrow, "no wonder you were so adamant we not invite any other young ladies tonight."

Newt and Tina both blushed fiercely, and began stammering. 

"It's not like that-" 

"Oh no, we aren't-" 

"Riiiiight," Leta drawled out slowly, clearly not believing them, "well, come on in, His Majesty awaits."

Tina's blood froze as she heard the words "his majesty." She hadn't given Her Majesty her proper due. She immediately bowed as low as she could manage. 

"I-I-my apologies, your majesty, I forgot…I've never…"

Leta smiled warmly at the terrified young mermaid bowing before her, before wrapping an arm around her trembling shoulders. "Please, dear, don't worry, I don't bite. Better someone real who doesn't know the protocol than one with flawless etiquette who is completely fake."

Tina looked up at the queen with a shy smile. "There's a dear," Leta gave Tina's shoulder a squeeze before escorting Tina into the dining area. 

As they passed Newt, Leta whispered cheekily in his ear, "I can see why you like this one so much."

Newt was left sputtering, unable to respond coherently. He followed the two mermaids to the table where his brother was already seated. 

This time, Tina remembered to bow immediately, but was too nervous to say anything. Leta squeezed her shoulder again, in solidarity. 

"Theseus, love," she informed him, "Newt has brought a guest this evening."

"Yes, my dear, I can see," the King replied irritably. Tina shot a terrified look towards Newt. Was it really OK that he'd brought her here? Newt gave a quick nod, assuring her he'd manage this. 

"Yes, well," Newt shifted nervously, "rather unexpected, but we're working on something after dinner, and I just thought, might as well have her join us."

Theseus raised a skeptical eyebrow, but gestured towards Tina with a tight smile, "please, have a seat. Welcome, um…"

"Tina," she replied softly, "Tina of-of the House of Goldstein."

"A Seadonian!" Theseus' eyebrows practically disappeared into his hair as her foreign accent gave her away. Tina shrank in terror, and looked pleadingly at Newt, but it was Leta who came to her rescue.

"He doesn't mean it in a bad way," she quickly assured Tina, glaring at her husband for having been so thoughtless. 

"No, not a bad thing at all," Theseus recovered from his surprise, "just surprising, is all. Unexpected." He looked back at Newt, and this time it was the prince's turn to wither under the king's gaze. He was going to have to explain how he'd come across a Seadonian commoner and why he'd thought to bring her to dinner. 

"Let's start, and I'll tell you over dinner," Newt mumbled, shooting Tina a furtive glance and hoping his brother didn't notice. 

"A capital idea!" Leta agreed, ringing her bell for the servants. 

Newt ate with gusto once the food came out, in an attempt to avoid conversation, although Theseus was not about to let him get away with not explaining things. 

"So, Newt, care to explain your latest project?" 

"P-project?" Newt stuttered. 

"You said you were working on something," Theseus said pointedly. 

"Right. Yes." Newt agreed. 

"Do you have to put your brother through a whole interrogation?" Leta pouted, then, eyeing Tina as she lowered her voice, "in front of a girl he chose to bring here?" 

Newt and Tina both blushed and stared intently at their plates. 

"I think I've a right to know how my brother is finding girls to bring here," Theseus shrugged before turning back to Newt.

"It's not a project, exactly," Newt admitted, "we met quite by accident, you see… She was on her way to see Dumbledore-" 

"Dumbledore? The sorcerer?" Theseus interjected. Tina's eyes widened for a moment, then she smiled and nodded, going along with the cover story Newt was providing. 

"Yes. And she got lost and ended up way off course, here in Oceana, so I decided to take her to Dumbledore myself," Newt concluded, rather satisfied with having come up with a convincing story. 

"Oh, how romantic!" Leta squealed, "helping a 'maid in distress!" 

"It really isn't like that-" Tina started, but Leta wouldn't hear it. 

"So modest! Let the prince here take care of you, you deserve it," she winked, as Tina slid further into her seat, wishing it could swallow her up. Newt was feeling similarly and looked away. Theseus continued eating silently, not knowing what to think. 

"Where are your parents?" Theseus asked, "what do they think of you taking such a long journey alone?"

"They're long gone," Tina said quietly, looking down at her plate, causing Leta to make sympathetic clucking noises. Newt kept his own heartbreak silent. 

"It's alright," Tina continued, "it was long before I came of age, I know how to look after myself." 

Newt took a moment to look up at her and convey his support with his eyes, before looking back at his plate. Everyone continued eating silently. 

"Well, then," Newt pushed his plate away when he'd finished, "we've a long journey ahead of us, so we'd best be off." He was also more than ready to get away from this tremendously uncomfortable dinner. 

"A word alone, please, before you go?" Theseus beckoned his brother, as Newt and Tina exchanged a puzzled look. 

"Don't worry, Tina, more time for some girl-talk between you and me," Leta winked, causing Tina to hide her flaming face in her hands as Newt got up to follow his brother. 

Theseus closed the door behind him and immediately rounded on Newt. "Are you barking mad?!" he whispered angrily, so as not to be heard outside the room, "undertaking a journey with some foreign mermaid you just met today?!" 

"She needs help!" Newt tried to explain, "and Dumbledore is the only one who can help her!" 

"So let her find her own way there!" Theseus snapped, "no reason for you to be involved."

"She's in serious trouble, I'm worried about her," Newt confessed. 

"What kind of trouble?" Theseus asked warily. 

"Grindelwald related," Newt muttered, looking away. He knew Theseus was not going to like that answer. 

"All the more reason not to trust her!" he replied, just as Newt expected, "it could be a trap! You know Grindelwald is after you!" 

"Yes, well…" Newt trailed off. He didn't want to tell Theseus what had happened before dinner, but he knew his brother always knew when he was hiding something. 

"Well, what?" 

"She…did attempt to abduct me and take me to Grindelwald…" Newt mumbled quickly, shrinking into himself as he prepared for the inevitable explosion.

"SHE WHAT?!" Theseus fumed, not even bothering to try to whisper, causing water and bubbles to swirl violently around them, "and you brought her into the palace?! This is getting worse by the minute! Newt, why on earth would you offer to help, let alone travel with a girl who tried to abduct you?!" 

"After I escaped, she cried and I felt bad," Newt shrugged sheepishly, blushing to his roots. 

"She cried…and you felt bad…" Theseus repeated, as Newt smiled shyly and bit his lip. "Bloody hell, you're about to put your life, and our kingdom, at risk for a pretty piece of tail and pair of clams…"

Newt blushed harder at the insinuation his brother was making. Theseus took that as confirmation of his theory and shook his head in disgust. 

"Poseidon knows, I can't stop you from being an idiot," Theseus sighed, "but I'm sending a pair of armed guards with you. I'm not taking chances with your life, brother." He squeezed his shoulder and shook his head again, muttering profanities as he left the room before Newt could argue. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that turned around on its head, didn't it?   
> Let me know what you think! I'm stuck at home, could use some love!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina and Newt travel to Dumbledore to ask for his help.

Newt and Tina left the palace flanked by two guards chosen by Theseus. The foursome swam mostly silently, simply seeking a spot to sleep for the night. They didn't expect to travel too far at this time. 

However, when travel resumed at daybreak, Newt couldn't help rambling facts about every creature they came across. The guards rolled their eyes, used to the eccentricities of the young prince, but Tina was enthralled. She never knew there was so much more to the various creatures of their watery world. 

She didn't mind the view of her guide either. She'd already noticed when she'd first seen him from his doorway that Newt was a handsome merman, which she supposed was not surprising for a prince. He was the perfect balance of sinewy yet muscular. Clearly, his adventures exercised him well, although she wondered about the patchwork of scars littering his body. 

"How did you come to know so much about all these creatures?" she asked in wonderment. 

"I study them," Newt shrugged. 

"But why? What drew you to them?" 

Newt took a few moments to ponder. "They're interesting! And they come without all the fuss and drama that come along with people," he sighed wistfully. 

Tina nodded. She sometimes felt odd and out of place too. Perhaps she too could take solace in creatures. 

"I wonder what it's like up there," she mused, inclining her head upwards. 

Newt raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Are you telling me-oh right," he said quietly, "your realm doesn't allow that."

"And with good reason!" Tina said defensively, "humans are dangerous!" 

"And yet, my realm allows for visiting the surface, as long as we're not seen, and it has yet to damage the kingdom in any way," Newt challenged her. 

"Yeah, but, well," Tina struggled to come up with a counterpoint, then decided to steer the conversation in a different direction. 

"Are you saying you have been to the surface?" 

"Yes," Newt nodded, "and I've even studied humans a bit. Not nearly as extensively as sea creatures, but I learned a few things about them and their ways. They're not as different from us as you think," he said pointedly. 

"Is it true then, what they say? That you're gonna have an entry on humans in that book you're writing?" she piped up. 

"Perhaps," he grinned nonchalantly. 

They swam in silence for a while, as Tina thought that over. Then, it was Newt's turn to break the silence. 

"Have you thought about what you're going to do when you get up there?" he asked. 

"Well, not really," Tina admitted, "till now I've just been thinking of getting there. But it can't be all that hard. Find Queenie, take her home."

"What if she doesn't want to come home?" Newt asked bluntly, "she did choose to leave to begin with."

Tina was getting uncomfortable with how easily Newt shot down her ideas of how to handle this situation. "It isn't any of your business," she snapped, "I can handle this myself, I don't need you being all negative."

"I'm sorry," Newt said sincerely, lightly brushing her shoulder with his fingers. She turned to look at him, but he cast his eyes away, blushing, "I don't mean to be negative, I'm just a little concerned. As a--as a friend."

They both stopped for a moment. They'd known each other all of two days, and hadn't exactly gotten off to a good start. Could they really be considered friends? Well, he was going out of his way to help, and they were definitely enjoying each other's company. 

Newt was nervous that perhaps he'd overstepped, especially as, if he was being honest with himself, a part of him was already hoping they might, at some point, be something more than friends. "I mean, I thought maybe… We were…well, are we friends now?" 

Tina smiled shyly as a blush crept up her cheeks. "Yeah. I suppose we are." 

Newt nodded, smiling with relief. "It's hard to tell, I haven't exactly had many friends in my life," he admitted. 

Tina's heart broke a little hearing that. "Well, that's their loss then," she grinned, causing Newt's heart to lurch wildly. It was not just a part of him hoping, then. He definitely was falling for the pretty mermaid swimming beside him. 

"Thank you," he replied softly, "well, as your friend, I very much hope you succeed in your mission. So I want to help make sure you have what you need for things to work out."

"That's very kind of you, Newt," Tina said softly, and Newt felt yet another wild lurch in his heart. 

"Do you know what your sister gave Grindelwald in exchange for becoming human?" Newt returned to asking difficult questions. 

"Exchange? I don't know! We're poor orphans, with barely enough to feed ourselves, I don't know what she possibly could have exchanged!" Tina exclaimed. 

"He managed to think of something for you to exchange for what you were asking him," Newt said pointedly, and Tina hung her head. 

"I really am sorry about that," she told him, looking at him with pleading eyes, "can you forgive me?" 

"I would think," Newt somersaulted playfully before giving her a wink, "that it's rather obvious that all is forgiven by now." 

"I…thank you," Tina muttered humbly, then sucked in her breath before continuing, "What do you think he might have asked my sister to do?" she asked, with trepidation. 

"I really couldn't say," he sighed heavily, "but I do know that Grindelwald does not play fair. Whatever he asked of her, she's very much at a disadvantage. And very likely in danger."

Tina's eyes grew wide with fear. "It's-it's going to be alright," Newt patted her shoulder awkwardly, trying to reassure her, "Dumbledore will be able to fix all this. And I-I'm happy to help in whatever way I can."

Tina just sighed. "Let's keep swimming. The sooner we reach this Dumbledore guy, the better."

Although they continued their friendly chatter as the day wore on, a heavy sense of dread had settled within Tina. When they eventually settled for the night, she tossed and turned for hours before falling asleep. 

"We should arrive this afternoon," Newt assured her, when he took in the dark circles under her eyes in the morning. Tina just nodded as they took off, her jaw set with determination. 

When they finally reached Dumbledore's lair, Newt sent the guards back home to inform his brother he'd safely reached his destination, while he and Tina had their audience with the sorcerer. 

"Your highness," a calm, confident voice rang out, "I have been expecting you. And your guest."

"How did he know?" Tina whispered frantically, as she shrank behind Newt, feeling both scared and awed. 

"Sorcery, I suppose," Newt shrugged, as they glided into Dumbledore's lair. 

Tina was struck by the differences between this lair and Grindelwald's. It was much more muted, and understated. There was none of the glitz and glamor that bedecked the halls of Grindelwald's lair. This place was almost ascetic. But it was cozy too. And calm, like Dumbledore's voice. Her neck didn't prickle like it did in Grindelwald's lair. Hope rose within Tina, that Newt was right and this sorcerer would help. 

Dumbledore himself was also a contrast from Grindelwald. His silvery tail shimmered on its own, without embellishment, and his face, while inscrutable, was more inviting, especially his twinkling blue eyes. 

"I understand your sister has struck a deal with my old classmate," Dumbledore said, gesturing to his crystal ball. 

Tina saw her sister inside, walking around on  _ legs  _ in some sort of palace. "Queenie!" she exclaimed, pressing her nose against the glass. 

Newt reached out tentatively, to touch Tina, but decided to hold back, and give her a chance to speak with Dumbledore. 

"So it's true," Tina turned to Dumbledore, "the Sea Witch really did turn her into a human... Could you--would you turn me into one so I can go after her and bring her home? I haven't got much to offer, but she's my sister and she's all I have…"

"Don't worry, my child," Dumbledore soothingly patted her head, "I am happy to help. But there are a few things you must understand before we proceed."

Tina nodded, looking at Dumbledore with pleading eyes. "Grindelwald does not do things for free," he began. 

"I know," Tina interjected, "Newt here explained that. But I still don't know-" 

"I know the terms of the bargain," Dumbledore continued, "your sister was transformed into a human for three months, in exchange for her voice. Her human legs suffer from constant pain and injury." 

Tina put a hand to her mouth and her eyes welled up. Her sister had sacrificed her own voice?! And agreed to such physical suffering?! 

"If her prince marries her before the deadline," Dumbledore went on, "her transformation will be permanent and she will get her voice back, and her legs will be healed."

"And if not?" Tina whispered hoarsely. 

"Her body becomes seafoam, and her soul belongs to Grindelwald, presumably to join the ranks of the army of souls he's building to overthrow all the realms," Dumbledore answered bitterly. 

As Dumbledore finished explaining the dreadful bargain Queenie had struck with Grindelwald, Tina realized that Newt had been right about her sister being in grave danger. And she was now a pawn in an even more dangerous game. Tears slid down her face as she watched Queenie in the crystal ball, rubbing salve on her blistered legs and bandaging them up for the night. Newt instinctively wrapped an arm around Tina's shoulders to comfort her. 

"Can't you--reverse it, or void the bargain somehow?" she cried out. 

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "There are three options, and none are simple. The first is to kill Grindelwald. That is completely unrealistic, he is far too powerful, and it is unlikely anyone can manage that in time for the deadline. The second option is to get her to me, and I can use magic to counteract the magic of the agreement."

"Well, what are we waiting for, I'll go right up there and-" 

"You have to be prepared for her to refuse to come with you," Dumbledore told her softly, "I don't think it's the most practical option. The third one is what offers the best odds. Make sure that the prince falls in love with her and marries her in time."

"But if she gets married, she'll… Never be able to come home to me," Tina said tearfully. 

"No," Dumbledore agreed, "but she will be alive. And safe."

Tina swallowed, and nodded. Alive and safe were good enough for her. "Will it hurt?" she asked nervously. She was doing this regardless, but her fear as the moment came closer pushed her to ask. 

"No," Dumbledore explained, "what your sister is experiencing in her human form is simply a testament to Grindelwald's cruelty. The transformation can be done without pain. There may be discomfort in the beginning, but you will not suffer pain unless an actual injury is inflicted."

Tina nodded thoughtfully before announcing, "I'm ready, sir. Please, take me to my sister."

"Yes, how soon can we go?" Newt chimed in. 

"We?" Tina looked up at him curiously, "You're--you're coming with me? You don't have to, this isn't your-" 

"You don't expect me to leave you to do this alone, do you?" Newt cut her off sternly, "you know nothing of land and humans, and time is of the essence. I promised I'd help you. So, yes, I'm coming with you." 

He looked expectantly at Tina, and she slowly nodded. "I guess, if you're really ok with it… Th-thank you..."

Newt just smiled shyly from under his fringe and looked away. 

"Well, then, let's not waste any more time," Dumbledore told them, rummaging through his stock, "ah, here we go. Right, so, as I said, no games here, I'm happy to help. Anything to slow Grindelwald down... It'll be a bit uncomfortable, and the legs will take some getting used to, but your transition shouldn't hurt. You retain whatever powers you have as merpeople. You can return to the sea, and your mer-form, at any time. Good luck." Dumbledore handed them each a vial. 

"Cheers!" Newt raised his drink towards Tina with an adventurous grin gracing his lips, before tipping his head back and downing the contents. Tina merely nodded. She wasn't in the mood for joking. She simply drank up her potion with determination. 

She and Newt looked at each other, waiting for it to take effect. Newt felt a weird lurch in his stomach and instinctively grabbed Tina's hand. She squeezed back as she felt a lurch in her own stomach. 

Next thing they knew, a jet stream caught them, zooming them to the surface. They both felt an uncomfortable twitching as their tails split, forming legs, followed by a burning sensation in their chests, as they lost their ability to breathe underwater. Still, they maintained their grip on each other the entire time. 

The jet stream slowed, turning into a large wave that gently deposited them on the shore. It was only then that they let go of each other, coughing and sputtering as they desperately took in air. After a few minutes catching their breaths, the pair began to take in their surroundings, and their new bodies. 

Tina first touched the solid ground beneath her, before running her hands over her legs and examining her toes in fascination. Newt did the same. He found wiggling his toes highly amusing. 

He was less amused by what was clearly meant to be human clothing. His scales had transformed into a pair of breeches and a collared shirt, though they retained the magical sheen of the scales they'd come from. 

"I do say, clothing sure is…restrictive," he grimaced as he tugged uncomfortably at his collar. 

"I agree," Tina scowled, tugging at the shimmering, fitted dress her own scales had become. She didn't notice the awestruck look on Newt's face as he stared at her. 

"Well, it does suit you," he said softly, looking away before she looked back at him. 

"Thanks? I guess?" she bit her lip shyly, "your clothes suit you too," she smiled. 

They went back to stretching their legs for a few minutes, until Newt suggested they try standing up. 

"You first," Tina smirked, not wanting to embarrass herself before Newt did. 

Newt shrugged and began to hoist himself up, grunting and struggling. But, he made it to his two feet. He grinned triumphantly at Tina as she clapped, and he lifted his hands in victory…then promptly fell on his butt. 

Tina was rolling on the sand laughing. "I'm sorry," she said through tears of mirth, "it's just, you looked totally ridiculous just now!" 

"Can't say I blame you," Newt winced, as he rubbed his sore backside, then, smirking, "your turn!" 

"No way," Tina shook her head.

"We can't sit here on the sand forever," Newt shrugged, "sooner or later, we're going to have to get up and figure out how to walk."

"I know, it's just…" Tina trailed off, sighing. 

"Hey," Newt called to her softly, "let's try again…together, this time." He held out his hands to her, and she took them. 

They struggled together, leaning against each other as they slowly scrambled to their feet. Newt, having already managed it once, got there first. He pulled Tina up alongside him, but she wobbled and swayed. 

"Whoa there!" he called out as she yelped and nearly fell. He caught her, bringing her close and holding her tight against his chest, "I've got you, Tina."

For a moment, Tina completely forgot she was supposed to be learning how to stand. She sighed contentedly against Newt. Something about being in his arms felt nice. Safe. 

"Tina…" he suddenly called out in warning, a split second before they both toppled over. 

Tina then found herself pinned into the sand under Newt. Both their hearts were pounding as they stared into each other's eyes in wonderment. Their lips were just inches away… 

And then Newt rolled off her, awkwardly muttering apologies as she rolled the other way to sit back up. They both quietly dusted themselves off, trying not to think too hard about what had very nearly passed between them. 

"So, third time's a charm?" Newt broke the awkward silence, holding out a hand again, trembling slightly. Tina smiled, and took it. This time, they got to their feet quickly and managed to keep their balance. They held hands as they each took their tentative first steps. Soon enough, they were walking steadily, without needing support. 

They dropped hands, though felt oddly bereft at the loss of contact. There was no time to dwell on that, though. They were here, they'd figured out how to use their legs, so now it was time to get on with the mission. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well well well...they are starting to fall for each other. Please share your thoughts! I'm officially in quarantine now, I could use some cheering up...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt and Tina figure out their way around land and humans. Jacob tries to learn more about the silent woman he's taken under his wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating sooner. Things are really crazy around here, as you can imagine. But I'll try to keep this one going as regularly as I can. Please let me know what you think below! Or on any previous chapters if you have anything to say :-)

"Wow, I really didn't think this through," Tina flopped down on the sand after two hours of walking along the beach. Her stomach grumbled with hunger. 

"Indeed, you did not," Newt agreed, flopping down beside her, and rummaging through his pockets to see if there might be anything useful in them. He pulled out a few pieces of dried kelp, and handed Tina some. "Then again, neither did I."

They both munched on their kelp for a few minutes, watching the sun dip below the horizon. "Yeah, well you decided to come along rather suddenly," Tina shrugged, "what's my excuse? I've had days to think about it." 

"We'll think of something," Newt squeezed her hand briefly, and looked into her eyes for a split second before returning his gaze to the setting sun, "I suppose we should prepare to spend the night out here. We'll figure it out in the morning."

As the sky began to darken, they laid down on the beach. "This is really uncomfortable," Tina commented, "I hope this isn't how humans typically spend the night."

"I doubt it," Newt sighed, "but no way to know till we find some, hopefully tomorrow."

"Hey!" Tina suddenly exclaimed, as the moon rose in the sky, "is that-is that the moon?" 

"Yes," Newt smiled shyly, awed at how the moonlight reflected off her eyes, "I suppose you've only ever seen its light underwater." 

"Yeah…I guess I really have been missing out," she grinned at Newt, who smiled back. Then, as she looked back up at the sky, "but what about those tiny twinkly things? Do you know what those are?" 

"I do," Newt answered, "they're called stars. I really don't know much about them, but from what I understand, they form patterns in the sky and humans use them to navigate their ships."

"Wow," Tina exhaled, "say, do you see any patterns?" 

"I don't know enough about them to know if I'm right," Newt chuckled, "but I definitely see some patterns of my own. I say, that set over there looks kind of like a shark, don't you agree?" 

"I dunno, I think it looks more like a tuna," Tina replied. 

"The humans probably think of it as some land animal," Newt mused, then, turning to Tina with excitement dancing in his eyes, "you think we'll get to see some interesting land animals while we're here?" 

Tina laughed, marveling at just how creature obsessed her companion was. "I'm sure we will, your highness," she grinned, "and I'm sure it'll be wonderful. Just… As long as we don't get distracted from…"

"No, of course not," Newt interjected seriously as he gripped her hand tightly, "we'll find your sister. And we're going to make sure she stays safe." 

He wanted to bring her hand to his lips, but didn't dare. So he caressed it gently instead. 

"Hey, Newt?" she asked softly. 

"Hmmm?" 

"Why did you come with me?" 

"Well, um, huh…" he stammered, "I told you back there. I didn't think it wise for you to do this alone, and I'm your-your friend, and I want to help," he finally settled on, but wouldn't meet her eyes. 

"Thanks," Tina whispered, squeezing his hand before looking at the stars again, to try to find more patterns. She suspected that he hadn't given a full answer, but wasn't about to push. 

They spent a while just stargazing and pointing out whatever patterns they thought they'd found, before eventually dropping off to sleep. Their hands remained loosely entwined. 

Tina woke the next morning feeling disgusting. Sleeping on dry sand was definitely not a good idea. "Hey, Newt," she groaned as she sat up, trying to dust the sand off, "we really need to find better accommodations for tonight…" she trailed off as she realized she couldn't find Newt. 

She looked around wildly. Had something happened to him? Or had he decided to go back home? No, he wouldn't do that, she told herself, he'd been so adamant about coming in the first place. And, biting her lip shyly, she realized she was quite glad of it, even though she'd tried to dissuade him earlier… 

Suddenly, she heard his laugh ringing out. She jumped up and started in the direction of the sound, and was soon confronted with the strangest sight. 

There was Newt, rolling around on the ground laughing as this large, four legged, extremely hairy beast jumped on him and licked his face. Tina was alarmed, but clearly he wasn't being hurt. Still, this didn't look safe. 

"Uh, Newt?" she started, but before Newt could reply, she was interrupted by a woman's voice. 

"Elsie?" she shouted, "Elsie, where are- Elsie! No! Bad dog!" the woman snapped, as she came into view and headed straight for the creature, pulling it off Newt. 

"I am so sorry, sir," the woman blushed in embarrassment, her face turning the color of her curly red hair, "my dog, Elsie, she just-" 

"Not to worry," Newt smiled warmly, "I love, um, dogs," he assured the woman, then, cooed at the furry creature, and scratched behind its ears, and allowed it to lick his hands. The woman whose dog it was smiled radiantly, happy for the friendly reception her pet was receiving. Tina held back a bit, still unsure of what she thought of this dog thing. 

Suddenly, the woman spoke to both of them. "You're not from around here, are you?" 

Newt and Tina shared a look. That was another thing they hadn't thought of. What were they supposed to say about who they were and why they were here? While they both furiously tried to think up a reasonable story, the woman spoke again. 

"You must be survivors of that shipwreck!" she exclaimed. 

"Shipwreck?!" Newt and Tina looked at each other again. 

"Yes," the woman continued, "just last week, the prince himself rescued a beautiful maiden, washed up upon this very beach." Newt and Tina's ears perked up at that. Could it be? 

"Everyone thought she was the sole survivor, but evidently not…"

"Can you take us to her?" Tina blurted out, "I think-I think, I hope, she might be my sister…" 

"Oh you poor dear," the woman placed an arm around Tina's shoulders, "well, I couldn't possibly take you to the palace, I'm just an innkeeper… Perhaps we can get word to the palace that more survivors were found. In the meantime, you two may stay at my inn. Free of charge, you've been through enough. Name's Bunty," she smiled kindly. 

"Thank you," Tina sighed gratefully, "I'm Tina."

"And I'm Newt. Does your dog stay at the inn too?" Bunty chuckled and Tina rolled her eyes. 

"Yes, she does," Bunty replied, "now let's get you two washed up and fed and settled in."

Newt and Tina glanced at each other as they followed behind Bunty. Well, they had a cover story now. And normal accommodations too. Next step was to figure out how they'd get to the palace. 

Queenie woke up that same morning, on her fourth morning in the palace, ready to greet the day. Jacob had given her a beautiful, comfortable room, a seamstress to make up some proper dresses for her, and a doctor who came every day to check on her legs. Though she knew the treatments were pointless, they did temporarily take the edge off the pain. 

Queenie sighed as she looked at her scabbed legs. They looked much improved since last night, but she knew the wounds would reopen as soon as she got out of bed and started going about her day. She thought about maybe staying in bed for today. But no, she wasn't going to get anywhere with Jacob if she didn't even leave her room. 

Jacob smiled widely as the young woman from the sea entered the dining room. 

"Good morning," he said cheerily, "here, have a seat, we've got the usual," he gestured around the table full of steaming platters of eggs and pancakes, and bowls of perfectly textured porridge. Queenie began helping herself as Jacob resumed the game they now played every morning. 

"OK, is it Charlotte?" he asked hopefully, but Queenie shook her head no, "how bout Janet? Melody? Or, wait, Sandra, yeah, you look like you could be a Sandra…" No, no, and no, Queenie kept shaking her head. 

"Man, I feel like I'm in Rumplestiltskin," he muttered, and Queenie cocked her head quizzically. "You don't know Rumplestiltskin? Ah well, I suppose your country has different stories… Would you like me to read you the story?" 

Queenie nodded eagerly. "Alright, then, to the library," Jacob grinned, offering his arm to Queenie. She was so thrilled to be holding Jacob's arm, she didn't even wince as she got up and hardly noticed the new wounds and blisters opening up on her legs as they made their way to the library. 

Jacob noticed, though, as she rested her legs on a cushion. "Still not getting any better?" he asked, concerned. Queenie cast her glance downward. "Well, I guess the doctor just has to keep working on it. At least reading should keep you off your feet." And with that, he opened the book to the story he was looking for and began to read.

Back in town, Bunty the innkeeper proved to be an absolute blessing. After they'd washed up from their sandy night, she showed Newt and Tina around town. She quickly saw just how enamored Newt was of animals, although he seemed to be seeing many of them for the first time. 

"Do they not have these where you're from?" she asked curiously, each time. 

"Ah, no," Newt rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "they are, um, not native to our region." 

Tina bit her lip to contain her laugh, and Bunty seemed to accept that she was spending time with two people who had clearly come from very, very far away. 

Newt and Tina got some time to themselves at dinner time, as Bunty had to see to all her guests then. They sat at the farthest removed table they could find. 

"We need to start planning our next steps," Tina insisted, "we have to get to the palace. Can we maybe ask Bunty to show us tomorrow?" 

Newt shook his head, chuckling softly. "Tina, we can't just walk into the palace. We need to be invited in."

"You would know royal protocol better than I do, I suppose," Tina slumped her shoulders in defeat. 

"Hey, now," Newt said, trying to sound encouraging, "we'll think of something. We know your sister is there and that they believe her to be a survivor as a wreck. Perhaps if we could let someone know the 'wreck' had more 'survivors…'"

"They'll want to meet us and see if we know the 'mystery woman'! Perfect!" Tina's eyes lit up, and Newt's heart warmed to see her smiling again. 

"We should probably also come up with a few more details," Newt added, "like, for instance, what is our country called? I highly doubt Oceana or Seadonia are going to work…"

"Actually, they might," Tina interjected, "we don't want to actually use a country that they know of, or they might actually reach out to them and it could make for some tricky questions."

Newt nodded. "I think Seadonia sounds better. They might not even notice it has anything to do with the sea."

"Alright then. Seadonia it is. And who are we? What happened to us?" 

"Just like they believe, we were shipwrecked," Newt shrugged, "Queenie is your sister, which is true, of course. You and I were both other passengers."

"And are you royal?" Tina asked. 

Newt thought for a moment. "If it helps open doors, then yes. If it doesn't matter, then only if someone figures it out," he shrugged. 

With the start of a workable plan between them, the pair finished dinner and went to their rooms, which were right next to each other. 

"Much better," Tina sighed to herself as she relaxed into a proper bed. She fell asleep the quickest she had in the last several nights. Things were looking up. She was going to save her sister. And, she had to admit, Newt was a nice companion to have. With him, she felt anything was possible. 

"So, you really think the mystery maiden might be your sister?" Bunty asked over breakfast when they approached her with their idea about reaching out to the palace. 

"There's no way to know for sure," Tina said wistfully, "but we were apparently on the same…ship. Even if she's not my sister, I could probably identify her."

Bunty nodded. "I think the best we can do is put the word out of two other survivors. At the very least, the prince should send some representatives to talk to you."

Newt and Tina exchanged a glance. It was better than nothing.

"In the meantime, you should go exploring," Bunty suggested, then, looking at Newt, "you can hike a little further inland, to the woods. I think you'll find some interesting creatures there. Here," she pulled out a book, "all about our local flora and fauna."

"Thank you!" Newt grinned like a little boy who'd just been told his birthday had come early. Tina shook her head fondly at his antics, but was happy to come along on the expedition. 

The next several days saw Newt and Tina exploring several local habitats and matching up new creatures to the book. Each morning and evening, Tina would ask Bunty hopefully if there was any word from the palace, only to be met with a sympathetic smile. At least exploring with Newt was a welcome distraction. 

"You think you'll add these to your book?" Tina teased, as they sat on a tree stump watching a fox creeping through the woods. 

"I'm thinking I'm going to need to write a second volume to cover what's on land," Newt turned to grin at her before turning his attention back to the fox. 

Suddenly, they heard a crunching sound coming from between the trees. Tina looked around nervously. "Um, Newt?" 

"There seem to be so many creatures around here, it's probably just something walking around," Newt assured her, still watching the fox and taking notes. 

"But it sounds kinda big," Tina worried her lip. 

"Whales are very big, and they're harmless," Newt shrugged. Suddenly, the fox perked up its ears and ran away.

"That fox didn't seem to like whatever it just heard either," Tina whispered, gripping Newt's arm. He placed a hand over hers, and nodded. 

"It does seem there might be a predator nearby," he conceded, then, "you stay here, Tina, I'm going to investigate."

"Are you crazy?!" Tina exclaimed in a harsh whisper, "let's just leave before it makes its way over here!" 

Newt wavered for a moment. He didn't want to put Tina at risk. But he wanted to learn more about this new creature. 

"Listen, Tina, you go back-" 

"No, I'm not leaving you alone to face who knows what kind of…" 

She trailed off as the predator stepped out of the trees. It was large, covered with brown fur, had small, roundish ears, and some very sharp looking teeth and claws. Tina gulped, but did not run. If Newt wasn't running, she wasn't running either. 

"Tina," Newt stepped out defensively in front of her, "please, I think you should go back now-" 

"And so should you!" she snapped back. 

"If we both run, it'll chase both of us," Newt explained, "I'm giving you cover now to go, I can handle this, I'll meet you back in-" 

"I'm not leaving you alone!" Tina insisted, pulling his arm, "now come on, let's go!" She grabbed Newt's arm and started running. 

They could hear the sound of the beast crashing through the woods as it chased after them. It was gaining on them. 

"I told you we shouldn't make a run for it!" Newt huffed as he ran beside her. Tina didn't reply. Now was not the time. Suddenly, she tripped on something and fell to the ground. Newt ran several strides before noticing she was no longer by his side. He turned around in a panic, and found her on the ground, slowly backing away, as the beast advanced on her. 

"Tina!" he cried out, running back toward her. The animal lifted a massive paw, showing its menacing claws, ready to swipe down on Tina, and Newt dove between them, catching the swipe with his shoulder. 

"Arrrgh!" he yelped as the claws dragged furrows across his shoulder. 

"Newt!" Tina screamed. She didn't know what else to do. She couldn't drag him away, and the Beast was gearing up for another strike. She felt around, looking for anything she could use as a weapon, and came upon a fallen branch. She picked it up just in time to block another swipe. Then, she swung as hard as she could and bashed the creature in the head. 

She didn't stick around long enough to see how much damage she'd inflicted, just pulled Newt to his feet, and they ran away together, Newt cradling his injured arm. This time, they were not followed, and they were soon relieved to see the trees thinning, as they reached the edge of town. They both slumped down on the ground, panting. 

"Tina," Newt tucked back a lock of her hair with his good arm, "are you alright?" 

"How could you ask such a question?" she shot back, "look at you, your arm…what were you thinking, Newt?"

"I was thinking of keeping you safe," he murmured, looking away. 

"Well, what if I want you to be safe?" 

"It'll be fine," he assured her, "what's another scar? I've had worse."

"You are the biggest idiot I've ever had the misfortune to meet," Tina huffed out exasperatedly, before embracing him with all her strength. His shoulder screamed, but he didn't care. Tina's embrace was the most wonderful feeling he'd ever felt. And then she stopped. 

"Now, listen here, your royal highness," she said sternly, "we need to get you back to the inn and tend to that shoulder!" Newt smiled cheekily and Tina just rolled her eyes, offering a hand to help him up. "Come on now, let's go!" 

When they arrived at the inn, a group of horses bearing royal insignia stood outside. Newt and Tina looked at each other. Could it be…?

As they walked inside, Bunty ran to greet them. "There you are! The royal… Newt, what happened to your arm?" she asked with concern as she noticed an injury. 

"We got attacked by a beast in the forest," Tina muttered. 

"We have supplies that can help with that," a man in a royal uniform offered, steering Newt to a chair and opening his shirt. 

Tina gasped at the deep lacerations running parallel to each other along Newt's shoulder, but the man examining him said, "those marks were made by a bear! You're lucky it wasn't much worse. This will heal up, though it will leave some scars." He beckoned to one of the other men, who ran out and fetched supplies from the horses. 

"So you've now survived both a shipwreck and a bear attack," the man chuckled as he rubbed ointment on the wounds and bandaged it up. Newt just shrugged sheepishly. Then, finished with tending to the injury, the royal servant stood up and announced the real reason for his visit. 

"The prince requests that the two survivors return with us to the palace in order to identify a third survivor who has been staying with us."

"We-we agree," Tina stammered out, as Newt nodded along. 

"Then let's go," the second servant said. After taking a moment to say goodbye to Bunty and thank her for her hospitality, they followed the royal delegation out the door. 

Newt gallantly helped Tina mount one of the horses, and squeezed her hand encouragingly. 

"We did it!" he smiled, "you'll be with your sister soon!" 

Tina smiled back as Newt mounted another horse, and away they went, ready for the next phase of their mission. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theseus and Leta desperately search for a missing Newt. Newt and Tina arrive at Jacob's palace and find Queenie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't been so consistent with this one. I'm working on finishing it up and should get back to regular updates soon, hopefully by the end of the week.

Below the waves, the mood was considerably more pessimistic. It had now been a week since Newt had arrived at Dumbledore's lair, and no one had seen or heard from him since then. King Theseus was sick with worry. Queen Leta was equally worried, but desperately tried to reassure both herself and her husband. 

"But Theseus, the guards confirmed that Newt made it safely to Dumbledore," Leta reasoned, sounding much calmer than she felt, "Dumbledore wouldn't have let anything happen to him."

"He would have arrived there nearly a week ago," Theseus shook his head, "what could he possibly be doing there that's taking that long?" 

Leta really couldn't think of an answer. And frankly, she was worried too. Her brother in law had gotten into plenty of trouble over the years, but he'd never straight up disappeared like this. 

"Shall we send out a search party?" she suggested. 

"Yes, but I'm going to visit Dumbledore myself, in the meantime," Theseus decided. 

"Theseus!" Leta exclaimed, "it's a 2 day journey each way! Plus whatever time you spend with him! Can you be away from the kingdom for that long?" 

"My brother has disappeared without a trace!" Theseus cried out, running his fingers through his hair for what must have been the thousandth time since it had become clear that Newt was taking far too long to return, "I'm not relying on servants for something like this. They can help, but if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself…"

He turned back to Leta and took her into his arms, holding her tight as she rested her head against his shoulder. 

"I must go, my dearest," he told her softly, "I must speak to Dumbledore himself, order him to tell me what he knows. I leave you in charge while I'm gone."

"M-me?" Leta stammered, "I've not been Queen even six months!" 

"I wasn't king six months until my first six months being king," Theseus shrugged, causing Leta to smack his shoulder. 

"You know what I-" 

Theseus cut her off with a kiss. "We don't have a choice, love," he told her, "besides, there will be other times as well when I'll have to be away. I married you for a reason. You'll do brilliantly, it'll be fine," he assured her, taking her hands in his. 

Leta sighed. "Well, when you bring Newt home, he's going to be in big trouble," she pouted, "he's going to owe me for this."

"You'll find no objection from me," Theseus smiled, "we're both going to make him pay for worrying us like this."

They kissed once more as Theseus headed for the door. 

"I love you," Leta said softly. 

"I love you too," Theseus replied. 

"Stay safe," Leta whispered behind him as he left, "and Newt, please be safe, wherever you are. And please come home to us…"

*****************************

After arriving at the palace, Newt and Tina were escorted through a grand hallway to the prince's study. Tina was enthralled, although Newt hardly noticed. Tina supposed it wasn't all that different from what he was used to. 

The prince greeted them jovially just outside the door to his study. "Welcome to Merryport, though I'm sorry it's under such circumstances," he smiled widely as the pair bowed before him, "I am Prince Jacob, of the House of Kowalski. And you are…?"

"T-tina, House of G-goldstein," Tina stammered out nervously. 

"Newton, House of Scamander, but you can call me Newt," Newt replied much more confidently, though not making eye contact. 

The disparity was not lost on Jacob. "Are you noble, where you're from?" he asked Newt. 

"Yes," Newt shuffled awkwardly, "how did you guess?" 

"You seem to really know your way around a palace," Jacob shrugged. "Anyway, I'm told you may be able to help me identify a young woman who we believe to have been on the same ship. She has not been able to identify herself as she is unable to speak. She is also recovering from some injuries, so I have her sitting inside, to keep her off her feet."

With that, he pushed the door open and ushered his guests inside. The sight of her sister sitting right there overwhelmed Tina. 

"Queenie!" she shrieked, practically falling upon her sister and crying into her shoulder. Queenie's eyes widened in shock for a moment, then she smiled tearfully, hugging her sister back and stroking her hair comfortingly. 

"So the name's Queenie," Jacob smiled warmly, "good to know! And you've found…what is your connection to her, Miss Tina?" he asked. 

"We're sisters," Tina said thickly as she got up, "thank you, your highness, for taking her in and looking after her…" she clasped Jacob's hand gratefully. 

"No, it's really nothing," Jacob assured her, "and I'm so glad you two were able to be reunited. You all are welcome to stay here until you're able to go back home."

Queenie stiffened on hearing that. She had no interest in going back. Tina opened her mouth to say something about making arrangements to return to their homeland right away, but Queenie shook her head vigorously. 

"Oh, well we surely won't impose-" 

"It's not an imposition at all!" Jacob interjected, "besides, I don't think it's wise for her to travel until she recovers…" he gestured sadly to Queenie's bandaged legs, "I have doctors treating her every day, but for some reason, they don't seem to be healing right."

Tina's heart shattered, seeing up close just how cruel the Sea Witch had been in transforming Queenie. Newt placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, causing Queenie to shoot a questioning look at her sister. 

"Later!" Tina mouthed silently.. 

"So, um, regarding accommodations," Jacob cleared his throat, "I of course am happy to prepare rooms for both of you. That is, unless you'd like to stay with your sister?"

Tina wanted to, but looked to Queenie, who nodded her assent. "Yes, please," she murmured. 

"Consider it done," Jacob replied, then turning to Newt, "you, of course, will have your own room. Where'd you say you guys are from again?" 

"Seadonia…" Newt said slowly, not feeling entirely comfortable saying it. 

"Cedonia?" Jacob repeated, furrowing his brow, "haven't heard of it. Must be real far…"

"Very," Tina said quietly. Her eyes briefly met with Newt's, then turned back to the floor. 

"Well, I look forward to hearing all about it while you're here!" Jacob smiled, "now, here you are, ladies! I'm sure you'll want to, well, catch up."

He turned back to Newt and patted his shoulder affably as he steered him down the hall to another room. Both sisters sighed dreamily after the pair, though Tina caught herself and bit her lip. Queenie looked at her with a raised eyebrow. 

"It's nothing!" Tina insisted, though Queenie's next expression seemed to say "really?" She took her sister by the hand and pulled her into the room, shutting the door behind them. 

The bed was more than large enough for the two of them to share, especially with how the sisters were familiar with sharing cramped quarters. This room alone was larger than the entire alcove they called home. And it was decorated to look like the sea, Tina realized with a painful tug at her heart. The walls were the color of the waves, and delicate murals of anemones and corals made their way around. The head of the bed was fashioned like a clam. 

Queenie was already in bed with her feet up, and had grabbed materials from her nightstand before beginning to unwrap the bandages around her legs. Tina gasped in horror as she saw up close just how badly wounded her sister's legs were.

"Why, Queenie?" she choked out as tears welled up in her eyes, "why did you agree to do this to yourself?" 

Queenie inclined her head toward the door then placed a hand over her heart. For love. 

"Is it, though?" Tina asked skeptically, "I mean, he's nice and all, but he doesn't know you. And you don't really know him…Queenie, come back home with me. Please! We can fix this, start over…"

Queenie crossed her arms defiantly and shook her head vigorously. Tina sighed. Dumbledore had warned her that Queenie would almost certainly refuse. 

"Let me take care of you, at least?" Tina gestured to the salve Queenie had started rubbing over her wounds. Queenie agreed, but inclined her head to the door again, before looking back at her sister, questioning. 

"It's a long story," Tina smiled, "but here, I'll tell it over while I patch you up." Queenie giggled soundlessly, and Tina felt a pang. It was just like old times, gossiping over cute mermen, except now everything had changed irrevocably. But, it was nice enough to have a sisterly chat again after so long, even if only Tina could speak. 

She gently massaged her sister's legs, making sure to cover them liberally with the medication, before tenderly bandaging them for the night. All the while, she talked about the last week and a half. How she'd gone looking for Queenie. How Grindelwald had sent her after Prince Newt, and then the prince had brought her to the palace for dinner before taking her to a different, kinder sorcerer. 

She paused for a moment when she got to the part about how Newt had insisted on coming with her. Queenie smiled suggestively. 

"It ain't like that, honest!" Tina burst out, trying to ignore the voice inside her telling her she sure wished it was like that. Queenie shrugged and gestured for Tina to continue. She explained how after washing up on shore, they'd been taken in by a kind innkeeper who made the connection between them and the "mystery woman" everyone was talking about. 

"And so, here we are," she concluded, "I'm just happy to be with you, to see you safe." The two sisters embraced tearfully. 

"Listen, Queenie," Tina whispered against her golden curls, "you know my thoughts on the matter…but most importantly, I want you to be safe… And...and happy… If it is Prince Jacob you want, then I'm going to help you."

Queenie squeezed her sister harder than ever, silently crying tears of joy. The happily reunited sisters snuggled close under the covers, just as they had done when they were small, and fell asleep holding hands. 

********************************

"Dumbledore!" King Theseus called out imperiously at the entrance to the sorcerer's lair, "by order of the King, I command you to-" 

Dumbledore appeared, and bowed low. "Your majesty," he said respectfully. If he was frightened before his sovereign, he didn't show the slightest sign of it. 

"Where is my brother?" Theseus demanded forcefully. 

"Your brother is safe, I promise," Dumbledore answered, "but as to where he is and why, you'll need to sit down. It's a complicated story."

"It's always a cryptic and complicated story with you, Dumbledore," Theseus glowered, but followed him inside anyway, desperate for any information he could get. 

"The first thing you need to know is that your brother has assumed a human form and is traveling on land right now."

Theseus opened his mouth to angrily protest, but Dumbledore held up a hand to stop him. "Please allow me to explain, and ask whatever questions you have after."

Theseus settled back down, glowering impatiently. 

"The young mermaid he was with," Dumbledore began. 

"You mean, the one being pimped out by Grindelwald," Theseus grumbled. 

"I'm sorry to hear you think of it that way. If you must know, it is her sister who has struck an unfortunate bargain with the Sea Witch. And while Tina did visit Grindelwald in an attempt to find her sister, Newt persuaded her to come to me."

"So if she was the one who needed to go to land, why did my brother go too?" Theseus asked incredulously. 

"He insisted on accompanying her," Dumbledore smiled vaguely, "absolutely refused to let her go alone."

Theseus couldn't help but smile a little. His brother must be really taken with that girl if he'd followed her to land like that. Still, he was absolutely going to wring Newt's neck when he got home, for disappearing and making the whole kingdom worry. And there was still Dumbledore to deal with. 

"Why didn't you tell me, as soon as he'd gone?" Theseus demanded of the sorcerer, "why did you leave me wondering for a whole week? Sending out search parties! Coming to you!" 

"Because I needed you to come to me," Dumbledore said quietly. 

"Dumbledore…" Theseus said warningly. 

"Your majesty, please," the sorcerer insisted, "there is a matter of grave importance we must discuss. Other sovereigns have not taken it seriously, and I'm rather hoping you might be the one to convince them-"

"What are you-" 

"Grindelwald has been quietly building his army of souls to overthrow the realms," Dumbledore explained, "the young 'maid who made the bargain, Tina's sister, will become one of them if she loses her gamble. The Sea Witch knows that if that happens, Tina, in her desperation, will offer her own soul. The souls of sibling pairs are particularly potent. It is critical that Grindelwald not get Queenie's soul.

"Alright, but it seems that Newt has involved himself in that particular endeavor."

"Yes," Dumbledore continued, "but even if they save Queenie, that merely delays Grindelwald, it doesn't stop him. It's time for all the realms to band together and do something to stop Grindelwald. And I believe the first step is that we need to make ourselves known to the humans, and ally with them."

"You can't be serious!" Theseus blurted out. 

"When Grindelwald does begin his rebellion, what do you think his first move will be?" Dumbledore asked pointedly. Theseus shifted uncomfortably as the answer dawned on him. 

"We need to reach out to our human counterparts before he does," Dumbledore finished quietly.

Theseus nodded thoughtfully. "I will call for a meeting of the inter-realm council then," Theseus decided, "as for you, pack up your essentials, you're coming with me."

"With you?" 

"Oh yes," Theseus explained, "you're going to be staying at the palace until my brother returns. And you'll be giving me regular updates on his progress. That's not a request, it's an order from your king!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now honored guests at the palace, Newt and Tina enjoy time together with Queenie and Jacob. Both pairs grow closer as time goes by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello. Sorry again for the wait, I've kind of lost all sense of time at this point. I actually have the next several chapters written, though still not entirely finished with the story. Passover starts Wednesday night, and I will be completely offline for the first 3 days of the holiday, so it will be at least a week until I update again, but rest assured, more is coming, if a bit slowly! Please let me know your thoughts below!

Once part of daily palace life, it was hard to believe they were on a serious mission as opposed to an extended vacation. The sisters were once again as close as they had been before everything that had come between them, while Jacob and Newt became fast friends. 

Jacob took Newt out for target practice every morning while the sisters walked through the palace grounds together. Then, after lunch, the four would spend time together, unless Jacob had any meetings. After dinner, Jacob would read to Queenie in the library while Newt and Tina walked along the palace’s private stretch of beach together, ostensibly forcing some alone time between Jacob and Queenie, but greatly enjoying the alone time between themselves as well. 

"They do seem to be getting on, especially given the circumstances with, well, her voice," Newt noted one evening as they walked along the beach after dinner. 

"It's true," Tina sighed, "but it's not enough. We're halfway through the allotted time, I was hoping we could have moved things a bit farther along by now."

"It's a fine line though," Newt reminded her, "it has to come from him, or it won't work."

Tina bit her lip worriedly, and Newt took her hand and looked into her eyes. "It's going to be alright. We're going to make sure your sister is safe."

"Newt?" she murmured, "why did you really come to land with me?" 

She'd asked him several times already, catching him more off guard each time. Still, he wasn't ready to give her the real answer. Instead, he quickly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, looking away before he could see her stroking her cheek where his fingers had just grazed. 

"Because I care about both you and Queenie," he told her again, "and I want to help."

Tina nodded. She knew there was more to it, but if he didn't want to share, she'd just have to wait until he did. 

The following day, Jacob took Newt inland to see the river. "I reckon you've had enough of the sea," Jacob chuckled, “and our sea connects to a nice river that splits off into streams."

Newt was eager to see a different type of body of water than he was used to. "Are there new creatures here?" he grinned brightly. 

"Always about creatures with you," Jacob laughed loudly, "but yup! Fresh water makes for different creatures than salt. Here, look!" he scooped up a slimy reddish brown thing off the bank, "this here is a salamander. You got these where you're from?" 

"No," Newt shook his head, then scooped the little salamander from Jacob's hands so he could study it. Something about the little creature really drew him in, especially the eyes…

“Can I bring this back with me?” Newt asked excitedly.

“Really? That’s the pet you want to keep?” Jacob raised an eyebrow, “yeah, i guess it’s fine. It can live in one of the palace fountains.”

Newt just grinned and placed the salamander on his shoulder. He was eager to study this one well.

When he walked with Tina along the beach that evening after dinner, it finally hit him. Those eyes, the ones on the salamander, were just like hers. He couldn’t wait to show her his new pet. Maybe one of these days, he’d even gather up the courage to tell her about her eyes. 

The following week, Jacob announced that he was going to be hosting a ball. Queenie beamed, and clapped enthusiastically, but Newt and Tina shared a puzzled look. They were aware by now of what a ball was, but how were they going to attend one and actually dance? Legs were still fairly new to them, after all. 

Newt soon learned, as he and Jacob left for the target field after breakfast, that Jacob was not entirely thrilled at the prospect of a ball either. 

"Man to man, and prince to prince, I'm sure you'll understand this one," Jacob grinned as he and Newt practiced their archery. 

"Understand what?" Newt asked curiously as he set up his shot. 

"Does your family keep forcing you to meet princess after princess, pressuring you to just pick one already?" Jacob put a little too much force into his shot and missed completely. 

"Oh, absolutely!" Newt grumbled in solidarity, "it never stops! And it's only gotten worse since my brother married. I sometimes think I'm my sister in law's biggest project!" 

Jacob laughed uproariously. "I'm sorry, pal," he patted his shoulder sympathetically, "say, when you get back home, what do you think your family will say about Tina?" 

Newt blushed furiously, "it isn't like that…"

"Isn't it?" Jacob grinned mischievously, "I can see it in your eyes, Newt. You're completely gone on her."

"Is it… Is it that obvious?" Newt bit his lip and Jacob lost himself laughing. 

"You bet it is!" he wheezed, as tears streamed down his face. "Maybe you should tell her at the ball."

"B-ball, right," Newt gulped, thinking again about the prospect of dancing. 

"Yeah, more ladies my parents want me to meet," Jacob rolled his eyes, "but, I do enjoy balls. They're fun. You don't strike me as the type to like them much, though."

"No," Newt said quietly, although of course, Jacob didn't realize the biggest reason why. Then, in order to deflect a bit, he said, "what about you and Queenie?" 

Jacob stiffened for a moment. "She's a sweetheart," he sighed, "and beautiful too. But it's hard, you know, not being able to talk. And… There's something else that really leaves me torn…" he trailed off, unsure whether or not he wanted to share the story of his near drowning with Newt. But, well, Newt was a shipwreck survivor, so if anything, he'd understand. 

"A couple of weeks before your shipwreck, I got caught in a storm too," Jacob explained. 

"Oh?" Newt raised an eyebrow. 

"My ship made it back to shore, but I was washed overboard by a wave before then," Jacob continued, shuddering a bit as he remembered that terrifying moment when the wave had swallowed him, "I nearly drowned. But I didn't. Someone--a woman--rescued me! I didn't see her before I woke up, but I heard her… She was singing… I never heard a voice like that before…"

Tina had mentioned to Newt that this whole thing had started because Queenie had rescued Jacob. And of course, with her natural mermaid power of song, her voice at that time would certainly have seemed otherworldly to Jacob.

"I haven't talked much about it, because the first time I mentioned it, nobody believed me," Jacob sighed, "but I know it happened, and I know she's out there!"

"I believe you," Newt said quietly, patting Jacob's shoulder. 

"Thanks," Jacob said gratefully. 

"But you know," Newt continued, "if you haven't found her by now, perhaps it's time to focus on who you do have with you," he said pointedly. 

Jacob nodded in understanding. "I suppose you're right," he shrugged, "but if I'm gonna focus on Queenie, I want to hear that you've been doing more about Tina…"

Newt bit his lip shyly, but agreed. "Perhaps you're right...at the ball…" 

Jacob clapped him on the back. "There's a good fellow!" 

************

"Ladies and gentlemen of the council," Dumbledore implored, "we have gathered here today to discuss a most pressing threat. The threat of rebellion from Grindelwald, the Sea Witch, has grown so perilous, it is time for us to reconsider our policies of strict separation!"

Murmurs and gasps rang out among the gathered leaders. “But the separation has served us so well for centuries!” Queen Sera countered.

“And when Grindelwald decides he’s ready to attack, who do you think he’ll reach out to first?” Dumbledore pounded forcefully on the table before him, “we must ally with the land dwellers before he does!”

“If I may?” King Theseus called out above the ensuing objections, “perhaps we can take this slow. We may agree to send just leaders, a delegation perhaps, to land.”

All eyes turned to him, intently. “My brother is already on land, in human form, um, scouting out the territory,” he shared a meaningful look with Dumbledore. There was no reason to get into specifics, “I believe we should prepare to at least allow royals to interact with humans in order to cautiously build the alliance. We can decide what changes we want to make with our subjects afterwards.”

With a murmur of approval, the council put it to a vote. Even Queen Sera grudgingly agreed to the measure, mollified by the limitations. A meeting was called for the following week to discuss the details. 

“Well, that went better than expected,” Theseus exhaled in relief as he escorted Dumbledore back to his palace quarters, “now, can I see Newt?”

Dumbledore smiled in understanding and pulled out his crystal ball, as he’d done every day since being moved to the palace. King Theseus was very protective of his younger brother. 

As Newt’s image swirled into existence, Theseus smiled and chuckled to himself. For the last several weeks now, he’d pretty much only seen his brother in the company of that young ‘maid he’d invited to dinner the night this whole ordeal began. In these scary and uncertain times, it was nice to know that there was, perhaps, his brother’s happiness to look forward to. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night of the ball. Love is in the air...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the long wait. I will probably get more regular about updating after Passover ends. Anyway, this chapter, I believe, is worth the wait :-)

In the days leading up to the ball, Jacob made sure his guests were prepared accordingly. Fine gowns were made for both Tina and Queenie, and a suit was made for Newt. During their nightly walks, both Newt and Tina complained about the fittings and how much more uncomfortable formal clothing was than even regular clothing. But they didn’t complain too much. They were, after all, on the receiving end of extraordinary kindness from their host.

On the day of the ball, Tina and Queenie stayed together, helping each other get ready. 

Tina was very worried about Queenie dancing on her injured legs, but there was nothing she could do. She knew Queenie was going to ignore the pain as best she could and dance the night away if it meant being with Jacob. Tina made sure to slather on extra salve and wrap the dressings really well before helping Queenie into her stockings.

Queenie beamed as she twirled around in her pink gown. It had the same color and sparkle of her former tail, Tina noted wistfully. “You’re beautiful, Queenie,” she said softly, through the lump in her throat. 

Queenie gestured “you too,” to Tina, as she nervously smoothed out her own midnight blue gown. Then, Queenie placed her hands on her head like a crown, her signal that meant Newt, and winked. 

“Queenie!” Tina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms defensively, but blushed fiercely. Queenie sweetly patted her sister’s crimson cheek and winked. Tina shook her head in exasperation, but she couldn’t deny to herself that she certainly did hope that Newt might take notice tonight.

Tina ran her hands over Queenie’s legs one more time, making sure they were well wrapped. “Just be careful, Queenie,” she admonished, “don’t dance too hard, I don’t want you getting hurt worse than you already are.” 

Queenie kissed her cheek, then got up, leaning on Tina’s arm, as they left the room together to make their way to the grand ballroom. 

As the sisters rounded the bend, they found Newt standing by the mezzanine railing overlooking the ballroom, where guests were already starting to congregate as the band tuned their instruments. Tina’s breath hitched as she took in Newt in his perfectly tailored blue suit with silver trim that matched the embroidery of her gown. His hair was no tamer than it ever was, but it only made him look more handsome. Queenie squeezed her arm suggestively, bringing Tina back to reality. 

“Stop it, Queenie! Go find Jacob!” Tina whispered harshly, but with an impish grin, letting her sister know she was fully ready to let her go chase her prince. Queenie bounded down the stairs (Tina never did understand how Queenie managed to move so gracefully with such pain), and Tina turned her focus back to Newt, who at just that moment discovered that she was standing near him.

The world around him melted away and Newt nearly forgot to breathe as he took in the sight of Tina standing before him, in her sparkling midnight blue gown, with its fitted bodice and scalloped neckline. “T-tina...you…” he stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

“It’s just me,” she joked, amicably punching his shoulder.

“Just you…” he repeated, “it’s never just you, you know. You’re…”  _ Stunning? The most beautiful being I’ve ever laid eyes on?  _ “You look lovely tonight,” he settled on. 

“You don’t look too shabby yourself, your Highness,” Tina ribbed him playfully.

They both blushed and looked away for a moment. Then, Newt looked back over the railing and caught Jacob bowing deeply to Queenie as she came into his sight. “Tina, look!” he beckoned her over so she could see, “it’s working! He’s completely taken with her!”

Tina settled next to Newt, looking over the railing and beamed, as she caught the besotted look on Prince Jacob’s face, as he placed an arm around Queenie’s waist and steered her out to the dance floor. Hope rose in her chest like never before. Her sister was so happy. And the plan was working. There was a good chance now that Queenie was going to win, and stay safe. 

“I knew we could do it,” Newt smiled, gently placing a hand over Tina’s and giving it a small squeeze. 

“Well, we haven’t won until that wedding happens,” Tina replied nervously, “but yeah, I’m feeling pretty good. I couldn’t have done this without you, Newt,” she said softly, gazing into his eyes intently for a moment, before blushing and looking away, to watch the dancers below.

“Aren’t you going to dance?” Newt asked, watching her interest in the dancers.

“Oh, no way!” Tina giggled, “the legs are still too new and weird for me to think of it. You?”

“I must agree,” Newt grinned, “we’re better suited to watching. Perhaps at the next ball I’ll give it a try.”

As they watched, they chatted about this and that, always keeping an eye on Queenie and Jacob, who continued dancing the night away, with eyes only for each other, much to Newt and Tina’s delight. 

They would have liked to continue in this way for the rest of the party, but at one point, Jacob looked up and noticed them still standing on the mezzanine. The look he gave them told them they were going to have to at least try to make a show of dancing, or else explain tomorrow why they hadn’t. They looked at each other, and Newt offered his elbow, which Tina took, and they made their way down the grand staircase.

“Now what?” Tina whispered, “how are we going to explain this?”

“I guess we’re going to have to try to dance,” Newt tugged nervously at his collar, “if only for long enough for him to see that we did.”

“But how? We don’t know-”

“I suppose we’ll have to rely on what we’ve observed,” Newt shrugged. Ever the scientist, he was going to put his observation skills to use. The pair now stood at the edge of the dance floor. Tina gulped, and looked pleadingly up at Newt, ready to follow his lead.

"May I have this dance?" Newt asked, bowing, just like he saw the other men doing, though going a bit too low and stumbling, causing Tina to giggle. 

"You really don't know what you're doing any more than I do!" she exclaimed, "but, hey, when on land…let's give it our best shot!" 

Newt grinned, and made a show of gallantly kissing Tina's hand, making them both snort with laughter. May as well get a good laugh out of the whole thing, as they were bound to make fools of themselves... 

Newt then led Tina out to the dance floor, and lined himself up with her, hoping against hope that his observations really were enough to get this right. He took a deep breath and clasped his right hand with Tina's left. His heart beat faster than ever as he felt Tina's other hand resting on his shoulder. Then, he swallowed hard as he brought his other hand to rest on Tina's waist. 

This was true magic. Sweet Poseidon, he would never stop dancing for the rest of his life if it meant being this close to her! Nothing in his life had ever felt so…right. He held her closer, gripped her tighter, as they glided out onto the dance floor. 

It turned out, they didn't need to be so worried about not knowing how to dance. As merpeople, they were both gifted with musical powers so it was easy to keep to the rhythm of the music. With that, their feet kind of naturally went along. Perhaps they weren't doing the steps exactly right, but they weren't stumbling either, so nobody noticed.

As they continued to dance, Newt and Tina gazed longingly into each other's eyes and the ballroom and everyone in it ceased to exist. It was only them and the music. Tina sighed happily and rested her head against Newt's shoulder, reveling in the closeness. 

The pair soon found themselves waltzing right out of the ballroom and onto the balcony, overlooking the sea. They held each other for a few more moments, then stepped apart. Tina curtsied, and Newt bowed, and this time, they didn't laugh, because they were simply taken with each other. Tina rested her hands against the railing as she gazed out at the sea, and Newt settled right next to her. 

"Look at that," he pointed at the full moon, hovering over the sea and making the waves sparkle, "that's not something we get to see at home. Beautiful," he whispered, although he was no longer looking at the moon. 

Tina sighed sadly though. She was terribly homesick, and worried about her sister as the deadline drew ever closer. Newt noticed. 

"You miss home, don't you?" 

"I do," Tina whispered, holding back tears, "it's been a fun adventure, and all, but we don't belong here. We belong down there. At home…"

"I understand," Newt said quietly, placing his arm around her shoulders and drawing her close, "I miss home too. Even with all my travels throughout the realms, it's always good to come back home. And don't worry," he assured Tina as she rested her head against his shoulder, "we will be back before you know it. I look forward to seeing your sister and Jacob married, and bringing you back home."

Newt spoke with such conviction, that Tina once again wondered what she'd been wondering ever since he’d announced he was coming with her. And so, once again, she asked. 

"Why, Newt?" she gazed into his eyes that matched the sea, "why did you come here with me?" 

In the future, Newt would never be quite sure what did it. Perhaps it was the way the moon was shining on the sea, or the way the light breeze was tossing Tina's hair. Maybe it was just the closeness they'd shared that evening. Whatever it was, Newt decided that now was the time to finally tell her the real reason he'd followed her to land. 

He cupped her cheek, caressing it with his thumb, as he gently covered her lips with his own. It started out slow and sweet, but Tina soon drew her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Newt wrapped an arm around her waist to bring her even closer, and slid the hand on her cheek up to tangle in her hair. They just stood there, passionately kissing in the moonlight, for several minutes before breaking apart to breathe. They rested their foreheads together, smiling shyly as their noses grazed. 

"That's why," Newt whispered against her lips, "I already knew, even then…I wanted, no, needed to stay with you. I-I-I… I love you, Tina."

"Oh," Tina said in a small voice, before kissing him once more. "Well, I'm very glad you came. I, well, I love you too, Newt," she confessed when they broke apart again.

Newt was so giddy, he wasn’t entirely sure he was still standing on solid ground, as he pulled Tina in for another kiss. The pair could not distinguish the rushing waves from their beating hearts, as they held each other tight while kissing on the balcony. 

Eventually, they made their way back inside, and had eyes only for each other, as arm in arm, Newt escorted Tina back to her room for the night. 

“Until tomorrow, love,” he said as he kissed her in the doorway.

“Yes,” she breathed, kissing him one last time for the night before slipping behind the door, and collapsing dreamily into her bed, replaying the most wonderful moments of the night, still feeling the touch of his arms around her and his lips against hers.

Newt stared dazedly at the door for several moments after it closed behind Tina before stumbling down the hall to his own room. He already missed her. He couldn’t wait to kiss her some more tomorrow.

Jacob and Queenie rounded the corner to the sisters’ room just in time to catch Newt and Tina kissing each other good night. “About time!” Jacob chuckled quietly in Queenie’s ear as she silently giggled in agreement, “and we need to make sure to tease them about it in the morning,” he added with a devilish grin. 

Then, as they stood in the doorway, Jacob remembered what Newt had told him the other day. He was falling hard for Queenie, and it was time to let go of the fantasy of his mysterious rescuer for good. He had someone special right here in front of him, and had just had the most magical night with her.

Jacob reached out a hand to stroke Queenie’s cheek, and she closed her eyes, sighing happily into his touch. Finally, at long last, came the moment Queenie had been anticipating for weeks, and Jacob sweetly brushed his lips against her own. It was everything she’d dreamt it would be. 

“Till tomorrow,” Jacob bowed gallantly, kissing her hand. Queenie beamed radiantly and nodded, as Jacob walked backwards, never turning his smiling gaze away from her until she slipped behind the door. 

Tina was still awake, sprawled out on the bed with an expression that matched Queenie’s. “Queenie!” she hugged her sister tightly as she began to help her undress, “I just had the most wonderful thing happen! Newt and I…” she trailed off and sighed, but Queenie, who had witnessed some of it, scooped her up and crushed her in a big hug, while kissing her cheek to let her know how happy she was for her.

Then Queenie gestured to herself, as if to say “me too,” and Tina hugged her back in true joy. The two sisters helped each other into their nightgowns and lay next to each other for a while afterwards, holding hands and reveling in each other’s joy. 

Below the waves, there was one person who was not happy about the evening’s events as he leered menacingly into his crystal ball. “Oh no, this will not do,” Grindelwald scowled, “this will not do at all. She’s too close to succeeding...It seems the time has come to involve myself rather more than I have until now…” he looked over at the jar containing Queenie’s voice.

“Indeed,” he said softly, rifling through his shelves of potions, “it’s time to pay a visit to the surface and show those little mermaids who they really are beholden to!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Finally! Bet you all were waiting for that! Please let me know your thoughts below!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two couples in love...and one angry Sea Witch determined to put a stop to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short, but a lot of significant stuff happens.

Both couples were far too wrapped up in each other to tease their counterparts the following day. In fact, Newt and Jacob skipped their usual routine of target practice to focus on romancing the ladies for the day. Jacob took Queenie for a rowboat ride in a private cove that belonged to the palace. 

“No one knows about this, see,” he explained, “sometimes being a prince and all, I need a place to escape to, and call my own. And now, I’m so happy to share it with you.”

Queenie reached up to cup Jacob’s cheek, her sparkling blue eyes shining brighter than ever. She nodded her thanks to him, for sharing something so special with her, before covering his lips with her own. 

Meanwhile, Newt and Tina had a picnic on the beach. But they didn’t really eat much, nor even observe the seagulls. They were too focused on each other. 

“I never thought...never dreamed…” Tina trailed off as she gazed into Newt’s eyes that matched the sea.

“I know,” he whispered, cupping her cheek and kissing her softly, then, “Tina, after your sister and Jacob marry, do you know what you plan to do?”

Tina’s eyes clouded for a moment. “I-I think I want to return to the sea...I don’t know if I can bring myself to do it though...without my sister...I really don’t know,” she cast her eyes downward. She still had about a month to make the decision.

“May I-may I stay with you, whichever way you decide?” Newt asked, “if you decide to stay up here, I will stay with you. If you decide to return, I will bring you home to the palace…” He trailed off, not quite ready to outright ask for her hand, but leaving the heavy implication. After all, bringing her to his palace or making a home with her on land effectively meant only one thing…

Tina’s breath hitched, and she took Newt’s hands in hers, smiling radiantly at him. “Staying with you...I’d like that. Very much.” Newt broke out into a relieved grin, and they brought their lips together, kissing passionately as the sun set behind them. 

Below the waves, Theseus and Leta held each other tight as they sat beside Dumbledore’s crystal ball, both grinning mischievously as they watched Newt courting the mysterious girl he’d followed to land. 

“See, Theseus, I told you! I told you that girl was the one!” Leta gushed.

“I never doubted you for a second my dear,” Theseus chuckled.

“Could have fooled me the night he brought her to dinner,” she huffed.

“That was different!” Theseus insisted, “we know more about her now.”

"I'm just happy you're not making a whole to-do about her being a commoner," Leta murmured. 

"I'm not my parents, you know. I never really cared much for that, and Newt cares even less," Theseus shrugged, "and if my brother is happy, I'm happy."

“I do hate to interrupt the wedding planning,” Dumbledore cut in, “but I’m worried about Queenie, Tina’s sister.”

“Why?” Leta questioned, “she seems to be doing quite well with her own budding romance. This whole sorry business will soon be wrapped up, and Newt will come home and we shall plan a grand wedding for him and his girl.”

“Do you really believe Grindelwald will just sit back and let it happen?” Dumbledore sighed heavily, “there’s still a month left before the deadline. Believe me, if Prince Jacob doesn’t marry the girl within the next few days, Grindelwald will find a way to interfere…”

“What can we do?” Theseus’ eyes narrowed, as he slid his arm protectively around Leta, "Dumbledore, you must keep my brother--and those two girls--safe."

"There's nothing we can do, beyond spy," Dumbledore shook his head, "spy on Grindelwald the best we can, and try to stay one step ahead." 

Theseus and Leta exchanged worried glances, but said nothing as they exited Dumbledore's chambers together. 

Two weeks later, they received intelligence that Grindelwald had disappeared entirely. His lair was empty and there was no indication of where he'd gone… 

A woman stood on the beach in the dying light of the waning moon. Her hair was platinum blond, lips blood red, and her pearl encrusted dress shimmered as the sea breeze whipped it about. She walked, barefoot, along the beach, singing an otherworldly song. Around her neck, a conch shell pendant glowed.

Jacob woke with a start. He sat up in his bed, straining his ears. He recognized the voice immediately. But surely, he was dreaming? Another minute was enough to determine that he was not. At long last, he'd found her. His mind drifted back to Queenie, but only for a moment, before the voice seized his senses. 

Slowly, as though in a trance, Jacob left his bed. Barefoot, and still in his pajamas, he made his way out to the private stretch of beach that belonged to the palace. He saw her walking towards him, still singing, her voice so familiar to him, he felt as though it was coming from his own pounding heart. 

"Jacob…" she called out, "oh, my darling Jacob! At long last, I've found you!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news! I have finished writing and will be posting every day until the end! Please share your thoughts below, I love hearing from everyone!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacob is under a mysterious enchantment. Newt and Tina know Grindelwald must be behind this. How can they break the enchantment before it's too late?

Newt was the first one to notice something was amiss. Jacob was not his usual affable self the next morning. Rather, he spoke with a stilted, flat affect. Already before he could even ask who the blond stranger at the breakfast table was, Jacob introduced her. 

“Good morning, Prince Newton,” he droned, “I’d like you to meet Lady Mildred. My fiancee.” 

Newt stood there slack-jawed for a moment. Fiancee? How? Why? His next immediate thought was that he needed to get to the sisters before they came down for breakfast. There was still time. They had two weeks to bring Queenie back to the sea, to Dumbledore. If Jacob was going to marry someone else, it was all they could do.

“Congratulations, Jacob,” Newt said stiffly, and turned on his heel to leave the room. It was too late. Tina and Queenie were already coming through the door. Mildred draped herself possessively over Jacob’s arm, and smiled coldly at the two sisters.

Queenie’s bright smile faltered, and Tina opened her mouth to ask what was going on, but Jacob spoke first. 

“Good morning, ladies,” he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes, “I’d like you to meet Lady Mildred. My fiancee.”

The word fiancee echoed slowly for both sisters. Tina looked uncomfortably between Queenie, Jacob, and Newt, trying to think of what to do next. Queenie made the decision for her by running out of the room in tears. Tina had no choice but to run after her sister. Newt ran after Tina. Jacob vaguely stared after them as though nothing had really registered, as Mildred continued to hang onto his side, a cruel smile twisting her lips. 

Tina had left the door to her room slightly ajar when she ran in after Queenie. Newt still knocked, not wanting to barge into their room, and Tina thickly told him to come in.

Queenie was splayed in Tina’s lap, sobbing soundlessly. Tina’s eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks stained with tears. “It’s gonna be OK, Queenie,” she croaked as she rubbed her sister’s back, but Newt saw the utter devastation in her eyes. It was all he could do to squeeze Tina’s shoulder and awkwardly pat Queenie’s back. 

Finally, Newt whispered in Tina’s ear, “we have to bring her back. Take her to Dumbledore as quickly as possible.” Tina nodded tearfully. She knew it wouldn’t solve everything-- Queenie would probably never be the same again-- but she would be alive, and safe. Alive and safe. 

At some point, Queenie’s sobs subsided enough that she sat up and laid her head on Tina’s shoulder, staring listlessly ahead. Newt and Tina exchanged a meaningful look. They needed to start the conversation. 

“Queenie,” Tina began with a quavering voice, “I love you, sis. I’m so sorry. I think we should go home.”

Queenie sat up straight and shook her head vigorously, bursting into tears again.

“Please, Queenie,” Tina coaxed, “we can still work this out if we go back…”

Her sister continued to object as vociferously as she could without a voice. 

“Please, I’m begging you!” Tina cried out desperately, “you’re going to die if you don’t! Please don’t do this! He isn’t worth your life!”

Queenie just shrugged, as if to say,  _ yes, he is worth my life. _

“No...please…” Tina whispered, and Newt’s heart shattered. Was there anything to be done? Tina turned her red rimmed eyes to him, begging that very question. 

“I’m going to find...I’m going to try to find out what I can,” he settled on, not wanting to mention Jacob’s name in front of the distressed sisters. With a quick peck on Tina’s temple as Queenie sobbed facedown in her lap again, Newt left the room. He was going to find Jacob and demand some answers. 

“What do you think you’re playing at?” he rounded angrily on Jacob as soon as he found him.

“Playing at what?” Mildred simpered.

“It’s nothing, dear,” Jacob assured her, then, turning back to Newt, “but I do believe I’m late to target practice with my friend Prince Newton. I won’t be long, my dear,” he kissed her cheek softly before following Newt to the archery range. 

Newt bristled at being called Prince Newton again. Something very strange was going on. 

“Jacob,” Newt pleaded, “I don’t mean to presume, but Queenie-”

“Queenie?” Jacob looked at him quizzically, as though he could barely remember her, “what about her?”

“The ball? The last two weeks?” Newt grabbed Jacob’s shoulders and shook him desperately, “and you’ve been acting very strange today…”

“Strange?” Jacob scoffed, and wrenched himself out of Newt’s grip, “I’m sorry you can’t be happy for me finding true love.”

“But this Lady Mildred...you only just…” Newt sputtered, trying to get through to Jacob. 

“I know it’s a little fast, but she’s my heart and soul,” Jacob said, although without the customary lovers’ sigh. Newt was on high alert. Something was not right, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. 

“Wedding’s in two weeks,” Jacob informed him, “you will be my best man, right, Prince Newton? Prince Newton?” he repeated as Newt stuttered, desperately trying to avoid answering. 

“Can I get back to you on that tomorrow?” he finally settled on, “it’s, well, it’s a lot to take in right now.”

“Why of course, my friend,” Jacob bowed, rather than clapping Newt on the back as he usually did. 

As Newt scurried away, making his way back to Tina, he went over Jacob’s strange behavior and demeanor in his head again and again. And then it hit him. The wedding date was set for the day of the deadline. This was too much to be a coincidence. Though he couldn’t quite work out how, Newt now understood that Grindelwald was behind this. It was the only logical explanation. 

He peeked his head inside the sisters’ room, and saw Queenie lying face down on the bed, having cried herself to the point of exhaustion, while Tina stroked her back soothingly.

“Tina,” Newt whispered. Tina looked up and stepped outside, throwing herself into Newt’s arms and breaking down into sobs herself.

“What are we going to do?” she cried, “if we can’t get her back, she’s going to die! I can’t lose my sister Newt, we have to do something!” 

Newt held her tight, dropping soft kisses into her hair. He wanted so badly to tell her it was going to be alright, that they’d figure something out. But with his suspicion that Grindelwald was involved in throwing out obstacles, he couldn’t promise that. And he had to tell her. 

“Tina, I found out some...information,” he started, and Tina looked up at him with her tearstained face, though he kept his arms wrapped around her, supporting her. 

“What happened?” she asked, “how could Jacob-”

“I’m not sure of the details, but the whole business is incredibly strange,” he explained, “Jacob is not himself at all. I don’t know that he’s doing this of his own free will.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Tina scoffed.

“I think he might be in a trance of some sort,” Newt continued, “and I think the same might be true of that woman, whoever she is. Or she may have been put up to it. Either way, if you still don’t believe me, the wedding is set for the very day of the deadline…” he trailed off, giving Tina a meaningful look.

“Grindelwald…” she whispered, bringing her hands to her mouth.

“Precisely,” Newt sighed, “again, I’ve not the faintest notion as to how, but I think it is a near certainty that Grindelwald is behind this.”

“What can we do though?” Tina asked, eyes wide with terror.

“We need to get a message to Dumbledore as soon as we can,” Newt said decisively, holding Tina close to him, “and in the meantime, we need to stop this wedding...all is not lost Tina, we can still fix this.”

He and Tina brought their lips together. They had each other, and together, they would find a way to fight back and save Queenie. 

Over the next several days, Newt and Tina worked on things through several different approaches. Newt continued to try and get Jacob to snap out of his enchantment over the mysterious Lady Mildred. 

Tina continued desperately to try and get her sister to agree to return to the sea. Queenie continued to refuse, and was now refusing to eat too. Her golden curls were limp, and her skin became pale and pasty. Tina’s tearful pleas fell on deaf ears.

Together, Newt and Tina attempted to follow Mildred and see what they could learn, but to no avail. They thought about attempting to sabotage the wedding in any way they could, although they realized it wouldn’t help much if Jacob was too entranced to leave Mildred and marry Queenie. 

Every evening, Newt tried his best to comfort Tina on the balcony overlooking the sea, on which they had shared their first kiss and confessed their love. “We’ll think of something, Tina, I promise,” he kissed her forehead as he held her and she rested her tearstained face against his chest, “there are still things left to try…”

*********************

Theseus, Leta, and Dumbledore huddled around the crystal ball, watching Newt as he held Tina on the balcony, trying to reassure her. 

“He’s right,” Theseus said, “Grindelwald is clearly behind this...but how? And what can we do?”

“I think I have an idea…” Dumbledore trailed off, and waved his hand to change the image to that of Jacob, “look at the human prince here. His eyes...he’s been enchanted. It’s got all the marks of magic.”

“What about the “fiancee” then?” Leta asked, “is she some random woman who’s been enchanted? Or some sort of puppet?”

“I don’t know,” Dumbledore shook his head, “here, let’s try…” he waved his hands over the ball and once again, the image dissolved and reformed. Mildred was in her chambers getting undressed for the night. But as she twirled in front of her mirror, Leta let a shriek.

“It’s him!” she cried out, as Dumbledore and Theseus stood there, mouths agape, as the image of Grindelwald flitted across the mirror. 

“Sweet Poseidon,” Theseus muttered under his breath.

“The shell..” Dumbledore trailed off.

“What shell?” Theseus turned to him.

“The conch around her neck. It’s glowing with magic...that must be how he’s entrancing the prince...they’re going to need to break it if they want any hope of breaking the enchantment.”

Leta didn’t need telling twice, and immediately took off. It took Theseus a moment to notice that she was already swimming away as fast as her tail could propel her.

“Leta!” Theseus swam after her, “what are you doing?”

“I have to find him and tell him!” she called out behind her shoulder, “Newt needs to know!”

She was completely right about that, so Theseus just called after her, “stay safe, love! And give him a hug from me!”

“Of course, dear!” she called back, before pressing on, determination etched on her face. 

It was late at night when Leta reached the stretch of shore adjacent to Jacob’s palace. The moon hung high, causing the waves to shimmer. Leta found an outcropping of rocks on which to plant herself, and began to sing. It was a song she and Newt had invented as children, to pass silly messages to each other when they didn’t want anyone else to understand. She knew he would instantly recognize it.

Newt sat up suddenly in his bed as the strains of a very familiar song played. No, it couldn’t be...and yet, it was unmistakably happening right now, in real time. Did Leta know something? It had to be, if she sought him out like this, which was clearly the case, given the song she’d chosen... He got out of bed and immediately made his way down to the beach.

He found her sitting atop a rock close to shore and jogged over. “Leta,” he breathed out. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed the sea. Seeing his sister in law made him long for home more than ever. But there were more important matters at hand right now.

“Newt, it’s Grindelwald!” Leta cried out, not bothering with any introduction.

“Well, that much I’ve deduced-”

“No, I mean literally!” Leta said, desperately grabbing his shoulders, “Mildred is not a human! She’s the Sea Witch in disguise!” 

“Poseidon’s tail!” Newt exclaimed, “but now what do we do? Does Dumbledore know?” 

“He says you need to get to that conch she wears around her neck,” Leta explained, “you need to break the conch to break the spell. Whatever else you do, you must break the conch.” 

“Break the conch. Understood,” Newt nodded dazedly, then, shaking himself back to attention, “is there anything else i need to know?”

Leta smiled mischievously. “Oh yes, your brother asked me to give you something.”

“Give me-” he started, but was interrupted by Leta flinging her arms around him and hugging him tight. Newt was caught a bit off guard, but returned the gesture with an awkward pat on the back.

“That’s what your brother asked me to give you,” she laughed, “now, do hurry up and come home. Tina’s welcome too,” she winked.

“How did you know about-”

“I have my sources,” Leta smiled mysteriously, then, turning serious again, “I must return. Don’t forget: break the conch!” With a flip of her tail, she plopped back into the water and was gone. Newt stared after her for a few more minutes, then made his way back inside, the words echoing repeatedly inside his head.  _ Break the conch.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I named Grindelwald's womanly disguise Mildred, after Jacob's ex fiancee who didn't end up making it into the final cut in the first movie. Also, Leta is awesome. That is all.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt and Tina know what they need to do, but can they do it in time?

“Break the conch,” Tina repeated the next morning, when Newt told over everything Leta had said the night before. 

“So she says,” Newt sighed, “though I have no idea how to manage it. Grindelwald is not stupid. I am sure he wears that conch at all times, even as he sleeps. And he knows who we are, though whether or not he knows we’re on to him, I don’t know.”

Tina sighed hopelessly. “What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. Our best, I suppose,” Newt held her tight and pressed his lips to her forehead, “and keep trying to get your sister to go back before it’s too late. That seems far safer anyhow.”

“We should try to figure out everything we can about ‘Mildred’, but without raising any suspicion about what we’re doing,” Tina decided, “if our cover is blown, if Gridelwald suspects we’re after the conch, we’re in trouble.”

The next two weeks found Newt and Tina working tirelessly to track the disguised Sea Witch without being found out, to find any way to gain access to the necklace that never left his neck. Newt discovered early on that trying to sneak into ‘Mildred’s’ chambers at night didn’t work. He could sense the magical barriers securing the door as soon as he approached, and not being a sorcerer himself, knew it was hopeless to counter them. During the day, Jacob never left his fiancee’s side, and it was impossible to get near the pair. 

Tina, meanwhile, was splitting her time between also trying to access the necklace and trying to drag Queenie back to sea, to no avail. Queenie had mostly stopped crying, as though she had no more tears left to shed. But she’d also simply lost the will to live, unmoved by Tina’s pleas to return to the sea to spare her own life. 

Newt had the idea to try and recruit sea creatures to the cause. They went together out to the rocky outcropping where Leta had come to warn Newt, swimming out a bit farther to try and meet up with any creatures who would listen. 

The first night that they went, Tina watched in amazement as Newt made a series of clicking sounds that sounded just like a dolphin. 

“You actually speak Dolphin?” she asked, impressed. All merpeople had some dominion over sea creatures, and could always ask for service from any creature, but it didn’t necessarily mean they could actually communicate.

“Yes,” Newt blushed humbly and looked away, “the mammalian species all have something close enough to language that it can be learned as such. I’ve studied enough that I can, well…” he trailed off as two dolphins appeared, then quickly whispered, “I can hold a basic conversation.”

Tina watched in fascination as Newt and the dolphins spoke for several minutes. Finally, Newt turned to Tina to explain what was going on. 

“They can only do as much as they can from sea. Obviously they cannot enter the palace. They can keep watch, be prepared if he actually comes out to sea but other than that…” he sighed sadly, not knowing what else to do.

“Wait,” Tina cut in, “it might not be much for right now, but the wedding itself is gonna be at sea! Aboard one of the royal ships!”

“Hmmm…” Newt thought a moment, before relaying the information to the dolphins. After a few more minutes of dolphin chatter, they dove back into the sea, and Newt and Tina swam back to the rocks while Newt explained the rest of the conversation. 

“They will keep trying to spy over the next two weeks and see what else can be done,” Newt explained, “but failing that, they will come to the wedding, along with all the other creatures they can muster. Toward that end, they want us coming back out here two nights before, in case it comes to that.” 

Tina nodded, and the knot in her chest loosened slightly. It was still too close to comfort, but it was the closest thing to a concrete plan they had. It was all they could do at this point. 

The wedding day marched inexorably closer, and the suspense lingered ever painfully for Tina. Queenie was no more amenable to returning to the sea and languished as badly as ever. The dolphins reported regularly to Newt that it was looking increasingly likely that they were going to have to rely on the last-ditch wedding day plan. And there was the ever present threat of Grindelwald catching them. 

Even with no evidence of any sort of workable plan against him, it’s not like he didn’t know exactly who they were. And he had to have known they were trying their level best to do something to break the pact between himself and Queenie. ‘Mildred’ was perfectly polite, if cold, to them, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t some other nefarious plot against them being worked on behind the scenes. It was only a matter of time before everything came to a head. 

As scheduled, Newt and Tina met with the dolphins two nights before the wedding to finalize the plan. Newt translated for Tina once they were back on the outcropping of rocks, drying off before going back inside for the night. 

“They’ll be bringing everyone they can,” Newt told her, as the waves lapped quietly against the rocks, “they plan to attack at the wedding itself. They’ll be recruiting sea creatures as well as birds. We need to be ready with Queenie. It means...Queenie will need to attend the wedding. As soon as the conch breaks, her voice will seek her out. The closer she is, the quicker it will find her. Then, she should have time to tell Jacob who she is, and with the wedding all set to go, they should be able to do it.”

“But what about Grindelwald? He’ll still be there! And surely, he’ll try not to let them marry!” Tina exclaimed apprehensively.

“That’s the hard part. Though our creature allies plan to keep their diversion up until the marriage is complete and he can’t do anything. At least, not based on the contract, anyway. He’s still dangerous though…”

“And how are we supposed to fight whatever he tries next?” Tina groaned, not confident at all in the plan.

“Dumbledore,” Newt said softly, “they’re speaking to Dumbledore tonight. He will be there, ready to take over.”

“Would have been nice if he’d have been here from the start,” Tina muttered.

“I agree,” Newt sighed, “but this is the best we’ve got for now. Having Dumbledore nearby should be enough to triumph.” He took Tina into his arms and held her tightly, dropping soft kisses in her hair, as the familiar smells and sounds of the sea embraced the both of them. 

When the morning of the wedding dawned, Tina learned at least one good thing. Surprisingly, Queenie actually wanted to attend the wedding. Why she would want to spend what she believed to be her last day torturing herself, Tina couldn’t fathom, but she wasn’t about to complain about at least one small component of the day being easier. They weren’t out of the woods yet, but Tina was desperately hoping that this one small thing was perhaps a good omen for the rest of the plan falling into place. 

Jacob was nowhere to be seen at breakfast. Apparently, there was a human superstition about the bride and groom not seeing each other on their wedding day. Newt was asked to attend to Jacob, so he was not at breakfast either. Tina felt uneasy. Grindelwald’s cold eyes, which she could see ever so clearly through the disguise of Mildred, smirked coldly and triumphantly at both sisters all through breakfast, causing Tina to shudder. 

As the time for the grand event drew near, Queenie did not weep. She was stoic, as though she’d simply run out of tears to cry. She dressed herself, rebuffing Tina’s offer to help, and took the greatest care, as though she were dressing for her own wedding, rather than what was, effectively, to be her funeral. The one thing she didn’t take care with was dressing her wounds. She cleaned them before slipping her stockings on, but it didn’t seem to matter whether or not they were protected from further injury, so she did not bandage them as she usually did. 

Tina escorted Queenie on her arm as they made their way to the docks to board the ship. She saw Newt already on the ship and they exchanged a significant look but did not come near each other. They had a job to do, and now was not the time for being lovey-dovey. Hopefully in a couple of hours, they’d be celebrating success. But for now, they had to man their respective posts. 

As the ship rode out to sea, Jacob milled about through the cocktail hour, while the bride stayed below decks with her attendants until it was time for the ceremony. As had been the case for the last two weeks, Jacob was not his usual affable self, but much more formal and reserved. Tina wondered if any of the guests noticed the difference. 

Queenie stayed near the railing, not weeping, but not quite as stoic as she’d been earlier. Tina stuck by her side, worried Queenie might throw herself overboard in despair. Neither sister touched the hors d'oeuvres that were being passed around. Though the reasons were different, both sisters felt slightly sick. 

At long last, the announcement came that it was time for the ceremony. Tina bit her lip nervously as she saw the sun hovering over the horizon. It sure was cutting it close. Could they manage to disrupt the ceremony AND get the real wedding underway in time? She gripped Queenie’s hand tightly while continually glancing between the aisle and the sea.

She saw the waves growing choppy as ‘Mildred’ made her way down the aisle, with a cold, cruel smile gracing her blood red lips. “This ain’t over yet, bitch,” Tina muttered under her breath, just in time to catch a large swarm of seagulls swooping in from above. 

Hope rose in her chest at the sight. This was it! But she still grabbed her sister, yelling, “Queenie, duck!” just as the birds swarmed in, right along with a wave full of sea creatures washing onto the deck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a bit of a cliffhanger! Come back tomorrow to see how it all works out!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The race is on! Can Queenie get her both her voice and Jacob back before the sun sets?

It was utter pandemonium. Even Grindelwald seemed to have been taken aback. “You’ll be sorry, you wretched beasts!” the shrill voice of his female disguise rang out, as seagulls, dolphins, crabs, and large fish made a beeline for the false bride. 

Guests shrieked in horror, running every which way, looking for places to hide from the onslaught. Surprisingly, Jacob was too enchanted to act, and simply stared blankly at the scene unfolding before him. Tina reluctantly left Queenie’s side to try and get as close to the Sea Witch as possible. Newt was soon by her side, trying to do the same. 

“Where’s Dumbledore?” Tina blurted out, “they said he’d be here!”

“I don’t know,” Newt shook his head, bewildered, “perhaps he’s waiting for the right moment…”

“Well, all we can do is keep fighting!” Tina yelled out, as she caught sight of the sun slipping ever lower. They were running out of time. 

Suddenly, the bride shrieked again, in the most terrifying, otherworldly voice, and Newt and Tina both watched as a large seagull pulled the necklace off and smashed the conch to the floor. They glanced at each other and nodded, taking their cue. Newt ran to grab Jacob and Tina ran for Queenie.

Newt found Jacob rubbing his head, looking utterly bewildered. “Newt, what’s happening, where am I?” Jacob looked around wildly.

“A trance,” Newt managed to gasp out, “no time to explain, we need to go...find Queenie!” 

“Queenie?”

Then, all of a sudden, he heard the voice singing again, the voice of his rescuer...he looked wildly around for the source of it, and then he heard her calling, “Jacob! Jacob, honey, it’s me!”

The voice was reunited with its true owner, and Jacob saw her running towards him, with her sister right behind, looking more radiant than he’d ever seen her. “Queenie?” he whispered in shock, “you can talk? You can talk! And it’s you! It was you all along!” he beamed, sweeping Queenie off her feet and twirling her around before setting her on the ground and kissing her soundly.

Tina happily flung herself into Newt’s arms, and they shared a quick kiss, but then worriedly noted the sun. Would there be enough time…?

“I love you, Queenie,” Jacob whispered.

“I love you too, Jacob,” Queenie said, her face shining with tears.

“Will you marry me?”

Queenie was about to answer but was interrupted by a cold, mirthless cackle. The guests screamed in terror as the false bride morphed before their eyes into a muscled merman, bedecked in jewels and laughing evilly, still wearing the bride’s veil.

“You’re still too late,” he grinned, “you’ll never be able to complete your vows in time! This girl belongs to me now!”

Jacob stepped in front of Queenie and drew his sword. “Don’t you lay a hand on her, or you’ll be sorry! Guards!” he yelled out, and the royal guards drew their swords as well, ready to take on the menacing villain to protect the prince’s true bride. Newt and Tina took their places alongside the guards as well.

“You fools, you don’t understand!” Grindelwald laughed again, “I don’t need to even touch her! She struck a bargain! The terms of the deal take effect in just one minute!” He gestured one bangled arm towards the sun, now just a sliver above the horizon, “she’s mine, and there’s nothing you can do now! I don’t even need to stay here. I’m going back down, as I've got a new soul to catch!” And with that, he launched himself over the railing to the screams of all aboard. 

Grindelwald disappeared under the waves with a cackle. Queenie flung herself into Jacob's arms one last time, but looked mournfully at her sister. 

"I'm sorry, Teenie," she said painfully, as she slid weakly to the floor, already growing blurry around the edges, “I love you, sis.” Finally, she slipped through the railing and into the sea, becoming one with the sea foam. 

"No!" Jacob cried out, scrambling to go after her as the assembled guards held him back. 

"Queenie!" Tina screamed, running for the railing as her sister disappeared, "Queenie!" 

Newt wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from flinging herself into the water after her sister. "You can't help her now," he said in a shaky voice as she struggled against him, and she let out a strangled sob as she collapsed against his chest, crying so hard she could barely breathe. 

"I'm so sorry… I'm sorry Tina," Newt cried softly into her hair as he held her shaking body tightly against him. 

Jacob had by now sunk to the floor, face in his hands, body wracked with sobs. As the three mourned upon the deck, they failed to notice the shimmering just below the waves, growing stronger and stronger. Nobody noticed anything until Dumbledore himself burst to the surface, holding a limp mermaid in his arms.

It wasn't until Dumbledore brought himself aboard, with the help of a wave, that Tina looked up towards the source of the splash. 

Dumbledore sat with his tail coiled beneath him, cradling an unconscious Queenie. Tina stared curiously. "But if she has a body, she hasn't turned to sea foam…" she whispered, not daring to hope too much, and Newt gripped her shoulder hopefully as he too looked over at the pair on the deck. 

"Yes, she's alive," Dumbledore smiled quietly, "I got to her just in time to counteract the spell."

At that moment, Queenie's eyes fluttered open. "Teenie?" she croaked, as Tina slipped out of Newt's arms and sank to her knees, bursting into tears again. 

"Thank Poseidon!" was all she managed to say as she gathered her sister in a crushing embrace. 

Jacob could hardly believe what he was seeing. "Queenie?" he whispered, and Queenie turned to face him with a radiant smile. "Yes, Jacob, honey, it's me!" and with a happy shout, he gathered her in his arms and kissed her again and again. Newt was now on his knees next to Tina, and he kissed her temple with a smile, as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

"But I got some questions," Jacob looked around at his friends, "a lot of questions." 

"Understandable," Dumbledore said kindly. 

"So, mermaids are real. And you're a mermaid," Jacob looked at Queenie. She sighed sadly and nodded, and then Jacob turned to Tina. "Then if you're her sister…"

Tina looked over at Dumbledore, who nodded, and lifted his hands towards her. She felt her legs fusing back together, and in moments, her shimmering green tail was back. 

"Yes,” she said to Jacob, biting her lip shyly, as he nodded in understanding, "I am as well."

Then, confused, Jacob turned to Newt. "And you? What's your story? I guess you're not a prince from some far away land?" 

Dumbledore lifted his hands again, and Newt soon found his blue tail was back. "I am a merman," he shrugged sheepishly, "and not prince of any land, though I am a prince, and my kingdom is a lot closer to yours than you initially thought." He gestured to the waves around them, and Jacob let out a low whistle. 

Then, he turned to Dumbledore. “And who are you?”

“Albus Dumbledore. I’m a sorcerer in Prince Newt’s realm.”

Jacob nodded, though his head was still spinning. “What about that other guy? The scary one…”

Tina and Queenie shuddered, while Newt and Dumbledore exchanged a dark look. 

“He’s a sorcerer too,” Dumbledore said softly, “though not content with his own realm. He’s gathering an army, trying to start a rebellion. You on land are in danger as well. And toward that end…” he gestured out toward the sea.

At that moment, another pair of merpeople burst to the surface, their royal crowns shimmering against the last bits of twilight. “Theseus! Leta!” Newt yelped, as his brother and sister in law climbed aboard and crushed him in their embrace.

“My brother, the king, and his wife, the queen, of Oceana,” Newt explained to Jacob, who was staring with his mouth agape. 

“Thank you for taking such good care of my brother these last two months,” Theseus told Jacob kindly, shaking his hand. Newt rolled his eyes at his overprotective brother, while Jacob sputtered incoherently. 

Leta, meanwhile, let Newt go, and slid over to Tina to hug her too, and kiss her cheek. Tina still felt awkward around the king and queen, but allowed the affection from Leta, hoping it meant the royal family at least approved of her. 

Theseus had some business matters to discuss. “Alas, Grindelwald is still at large,” he sighed heavily, “grateful though I am that my brother and the two young ‘maids are safe, this is far from over. Toward that end, Prince Jacob, my wife and I come here to offer a formal alliance with your kingdom, and all the neighboring land kingdoms. We’re going to need it for the coming war.”

Jacob firmly shook Theseus’ hand, still in shock, but recovered his voice. “Of-of course, your majesty,” he stammered, “these are my three best friends in the world, their families are my friends too.”

“We will, of course need to work some things out formally,” Leta added, “after all, we have multiple kingdoms below the waves, just as you do up here. And we’ll need some sort of formal gathering of leaders.”

“Understood,” Jacob nodded. Then, he looked back at Queenie and took her hand, looking sadly at Dumbledore. “What about us?” he asked nervously, “will we be forced apart? I don’t know if I could stand...I love her, you know.”

Dumbledore smiled benevolently. “I can turn Queenie permanently into a human. With none of the cruel conditions attached from the last time. Queenie, give me the word, and this is yours,” he held out a small vial of potion. 

Queenie grabbed it eagerly, but then hesitated when she saw her sister biting her lip, holding back tears. “I-I love you Teen,” she said softly, “you know that, right? And I’m gonna miss you so much, but-”

Tina kissed her sister’s cheek softly. “I’ll be alright,” she said in a quavering voice, “I’ll miss you, but...I want you to be happy. And Jacob makes you happy. Don’t worry about me, I won’t be alone...” she turned to Newt with a blushing smile.

“That’s right,” Newt chimed in, taking Tina’s hands in his and kissing her softly, before looking back at Queenie, “I love your sister, and I will take care of her, and do my best to make her happy for as long as I live.” 

Leta squealed with delight. “Finally! Oh, I do love a happy ending!”

Theseus pulled his brother and soon to be sister in law into a tight hug, blubbering his congratulations to them both. Queenie fingered the vial of potion excitedly and Jacob held her close as she opened it, ready at last to start her new life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Everyone lives! Yay! Everyone is happy! Short but super duper fluffy epilogue tomorrow!


	15. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happily ever after!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short epilogue, but it does bring everything together.

The interrealm council soon had a meeting with the alliance between the neighboring kingdoms on land, at which the leaders of the merpeople formally revealed their existence to the human leaders and made an agreement to ally together against the Grindelwald threat. Although the Sea Witch had been delayed, there was no question that it was but a small setback. A war would be coming, and sooner rather than later.

With both land and sea in agreement, it was now time to prepare a double royal wedding, which was an event not to be missed. A royal wedding, regardless of where it takes place, is unusual and exciting. For both sea and land to be holding such an event simultaneously is a once in a lifetime occurrence. 

Hundreds of human nobles and dignitaries traveled to Merryport for the grand event, which was to take place at sea aboard the royal party ship. With the ship out at sea, they could also witness the proceedings of the royal sea wedding, which, in its own right, had hundreds of nobles and dignitaries from the realms converging for the event, as well as countless sea creatures. This time, of course, the sea creatures in attendance were there as honored guests rather than as a disruption. 

Queenie was stunning in a white ball gown sewn with pearls of all colors and a shimmering veil atop her white gold and diamond tiara. Jacob was dashing in his tasseled uniform and ceremonial sword. All the people who had bothered him over the years about taking so long to find a bride had to admit that Queenie had been well worth the wait. The affable prince, so beloved by his subjects, had never looked happier, and they were thrilled to see their deserving ruler so happy.

The sentiments were much the same among the merpeople. Despite being generally thought of as odd, Newt was well liked by his subjects, and they were overjoyed to see their prince so delighted with his bride. Aside from the couple themselves, nobody was more thrilled than the king and queen to have their precious brother find true love, and they adored the young mermaid who was now to be their sister. 

Newt and Tina wore the ceremonial woven capes of colored kelp, traditional at mer-weddings. Tina wore a coral tiara to signify her new royal status. Others might have chosen something more showy, but Queen Leta, in her wisdom and kindness, understood that Tina was not one for show, and so, she’d ordered the new princess’s tiara fashioned to match the simple coral necklace from her mother that Tina always wore.

After the ceremonial proceedings, the humans danced happily aboard the ship for hours, while the mermaids sang accompaniment much to everyone’s delight. The humans and the merpeople swapped their traditional celebratory drinks and toasts. 

It was a wondrous occasion for all those privileged to attend, and further cemented the friendship between land and sea. Although time was inexorably marching towards a war that was likely to be rather frightening for all involved, it was nice to have some time off from the distressing predictions, and enjoy a day dedicated to camaraderie and love. 

And what happened after the wedding? Why, both couples lived happily ever after, of course! Each pair grew more in love with each passing day. And, best of all, the sisters did not have to spend too much time apart. Jacob had a special private cove built adjacent to the palace so that Newt and Tina had a place to stay when they visited every weekend. 

And Dumbledore still had one more trick up his sleeve. Newt and Tina were certainly happy to return to their home under the sea, as their natural selves, but they had rather enjoyed themselves on land. So Dumbledore was happy to help them occasionally turn back into humans now and then, when they wished to participate in some land activity or another. 

Despite their reservations at the time of the ball, Newt and Tina had retained a fondness for dancing even after they returned to the sea. Whenever Queenie and Jacob hosted a ball, Newt and Tina were always happy to transform for the night. Even with the dreaded formal clothes, it was worth it. After all, it was a night of dancing that had led them to their first kiss and confession of love, and so, balls would forever retain a special place in their hearts, for whether on land or under the sea, love is the most wondrous magic of all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for following and sticking with this story! Hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> A few notes about how this AU works:
> 
> -merpeople have a few mythical powers (like alluring singing). Some merpeople have powers of sorcery as well, but this is rare. There are only a few born in every generation. This is the extent of magic in this story.
> 
> -there are several underwater kingdoms called realms. Since it's kind of hard to have strict borders under water, it's easy to travel between realms. I have this setup purely for plot convenience. 
> 
> -Queen Sera is indeed meant to be Seraphina Picquery, but in the end, it didn't work to write her in beyond some vague mentions. So I didn't tag her as a character, but feel free to imagine her as a mermaid queen!


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